


Psycho Sight

by TalesOfOnyxBats



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Demons, Gen, Ghosts, Mental Health Issues, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-04
Updated: 2018-07-04
Packaged: 2019-06-05 11:23:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 24
Words: 31,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15169655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TalesOfOnyxBats/pseuds/TalesOfOnyxBats
Summary: After being carted off to the asylum Azula begins to suspect that the people she'd been seeing are not just in her head, but spirits that had escape the spirit world.





	1. Chapter 1

It was a soothing sound. The water lapping against the stones.

Azula picked at a loaf of bread—contrary to popular belief, she'd stopped chucking whole loaves of bread at the turtle ducks when she was about ten. She flicked a chink into the water and watched as the turtleducks flocked to it.

6:00 was always Azul's favorite time of day. She found a sort of secret enjoyment in watching the day close. The colors were always so warm and vibrant.

She let herself fall back into the grass, dark hair fanning out around her. It wasn't too hot nor too cold. A sunset in July, at least around these parts, never were. She felt at peace…

Like she was back in her own backyard. Which was why she'd chosen to get her 'nature therapy' at precisely six. Though Azula much preferred to call it 'down time' or 'relaxation hour' both of which sound a lot less demeaning than some sort of therapy session.

The turtleducks began to squawk and swarm. "Look, I don't have any more bread." Azula stated matter-of-factly. "So you best just move on."

"Who are you talking to?" It was Shou, the nurse assigned to keep an eye on her.

"I was telling the turtle duck that I'm all out of bread." Azula answered.

The nurse made a face, one that told Azula she'd be in for another 'talk'. Frankly she was growing tired of every single thing—no matter how trivial—being regarded as either crazy or not normal.

"Look. I'm fine, see? No one's talking to me. Just those turtleducks, myself, and a lack of break." Azula motioned to emphasize her point.

"Look Prin…Azula. You know that we can't have you talking to…well, no one." Shou disregarded.

Azula sighed. Truth be told Azula hadn't talked to the voices in a long time. She'd stopped after a visit from Xin-Kua.

Dastardly being Xin was.

She hadn't seen or heard from her mother since Xin's first appearance either. Azula wasn't sure if she should be relieved or dreading a doom-to-come. With her luck how it's been, Azula long since decided to expect the later of the two.

She'd also long since declared—to herself at least—that she did not belong her. In the asylum. At first she had agreed that she'd lost her mind. But after Xin, she had her doubts. Something else, it had to be. She spent her first nights in the asylum clutching her hands over her ears, begging them to leave her alone…screaming at her brain to just—in a manner of speaking—turn itself off. Hating…loathing herself for being able to control everyone and everything but her on mind.

And then came Xin. His nails digging into her wrist. She cried out that night because the sting felt all too real. When Shou caught a glimpse of the nail marks running up and down her arm, she'd carted Azula right on down to Lu-Ming's office. Whereat she was promptly restrained to 'protect her from herself." Of course they ignored Azula when she tried to explain herself.

She refused to even talk to Lu-Ming, or anyone really, about Xin now. When he asked if she'd seen him around, Azula would promptly nod her head 'no'…all the while Xin would linger in the opposite corner (or sometimes a nearby mirror) and stare her down with those dead white-lacking eyes.

They were black.

A Hellish black.

Voids.

Despair.

His presence alone bought Azula an overwhelming sense of emotional agony. It took all her might not to just burst out into irrational tears in front of Lu-Ming.

"I think it's time to get inside." Shou had this way of making demands sound like suggestions. It made Azula shudder, the way that woman put ideas into her head—made her think an idealism was her own.

"I think I like it out here." Azula muttered, silently adding a 'where Xin can't get me'.

Outside by that pond, surrounded by an army of turtleducks was the only place she could stop thinking about this face. It horrified and haunted her. Those black eyes were terrifying on their own. But accompanied by the pulsing red veins spiderwebbing up is neck and on his temple had every fiber in her body on guard. And his mouth. That was a horror show on its own; on some nights (like on the first one she saw him) it'd look normal. But on others (full-moon nights in particular) it would develop these four slits. And these slits would open like an apple cut by an apple-slicer, leaving his three fat and forked tongues to jut out and wriggle around.

The first night Azula'd seen that display she had found herself retching in a corner. Shou was the one to consul her. That was the one time she let Shou help her.

And the last time.

No one could protect her from Xin now. No one could protect her from any of the spirits that refused to stay in their own world.


	2. Chapter 2

"Azula, Shou tells me you've been talking to them again." Lu-Ming stated.

"She's lying." Azula intended to answer as vaguely as possible.

"Lying?" Lu-Ming questioned.

"Yes."

"And why would she lie?"

"Because she doesn't like me…" Azula trailed off. She already said too much.

"Azula, it's not healthy to just assume everyone hates you. Like you're mother, she…"

"I wish to go back to my room now." Azula cut him off.

"We are going to have to talk about her eventually." It wasn't an empty threat, it was a promise. This wasn't the first time Lu-Ming tried to force her to talk about she and her mother. At first he was subtle about it, tried to sneak the topic in. Upon realizing that tactic failed on Azula, he became more out right. And by all means, he'd probably ask again. "Can you at least tell me why you think that Shou hates you?"

"No." Azula's answer was premeditated.

Lu-Ming sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "You are going to have to talk if you want to go home."

"I'm not crazy!" Azula shouted. "I'm not." Her voice lowered.

"Then tell me. What are you?"

"A Princess." Azula sassed. It was a defense mechanism. Really every ounce of her screamed to tell him (or anyone who would listen) 'someone who can contact the spirit world.' But that would only dig her in deeper. The very thought that she could contact the spirit world, on its own, was insane. Only the Avatar could connect with the spirit world. So Azula left it at the sass.

"Yes, a Princess. A Princess who hears and sees things." Lu-Ming responded too calmly. It put Azula at a state of unease. "A Princess who needs help."

Azula didn't need therapy nor help, she needed someone who could answer the how's and the why's. And that someone wasn't Lu-Ming and his army of nurses.

Azula spoke nothing of it.

"Talk to me Azula."

She shook her head, no.

"Talk to him, baby." Came a voice. Azula turned her head slightly. Her eyes met the soft stare of her mother. A knot formed in her stomach. She finally decided to come back. "Talk to him, it will buy you time. It will buy you safety…"

Azula had made a habit of ignoring her mother or doing the exact opposite of what she said. "From Xin?" She whispered instead.

"Yes. Safety from Xin." Her mother fade back out.

"Who are you talking to?" Lu-Ming questioned. Azula had forgotten he was sitting right there.

"You. Who else." Azula tried.

"Your response doesn't exactly fit into our conversation."

"You said to talk to you. So I said 'his name is Xin.'"

"You said, 'from Xin' Azula."

"I think I know what I said. It's not my fault if you misheard me." Azula folded her arms to her chest.

"Alright." Lu-Ming let it slide. "Who is Xin?"

"A childhood friend." Azula lied.

"And what does he have to do with…well, anything?" Lu-Ming asked.

"When I was only five years old he ate the last fire-flake. Now I have trust issues." Azula shrugged.

"Azula." Lu-Ming said firmly. "This isn't a joke."

"I'm not joking. He really did steal the last fire-flake." Which wasn't a lie; Azula had been at the dining hall when Xin decided to join her and steal her food—she found the fire-flake in under her dresser three days later.

"Okay. But what is the real reason you have trust issues?"

"That was the joke part." Azula lied. Well sort of lied. She did have a few trust issues, but who doesn't? Or that's what she kept telling herself anyhow.

"What about Mai and Ty-Lee. Do they have something to do with it? Or perhaps your brother?"

"We don't talk about him."

"And why not?"

"Because he's an idiot." Azula pouted.

"Is that right?"

"Yes." Azula muttered. "Can I go back to my room now?"

"No." The response came from two places; across the table from Lu-Ming and across the room from her mother. "It's not safe yet." Ursa added.

"Azula, you won't get better until you admit you have a problem."

"My problem is you! And this place. I shouldn't be here." Azula frowned. "I should be finding someone who can give me some real help. Some answers." She added very softly.

Lu-Ming didn't speak up.

It was a working tactic.

"I'm not crazy. I don't see things that aren't there." The tears prickled in her eyes. "I see things that are there. I'm not crazy. I can just…I can just do things that other people can't." She let a small blue flame dance on the tips of her finger to emphasize.

Lu-Ming bite the inside of his lip as he contemplated a response. On one hand she used her bending—something he'd told her not to do countless times—on the other, she finally, after her 4 months here, dug at bit deeper.

"Care to elaborate." He decided on his words.

Wrong decision.

Azula recoiled back into her shell. "No."

None of them spoke. The silence fell heavy. This time Azula broke it. "Can I go to my room now?"

"I'll send for Shou." Lu-Ming answered.

Another wrong decision.

Azula didn't talk any to Shou as the two walked down the hall. She was still mad at her for dragging her into Ming's office. Shou however kept making attempts; 'how was it?' or 'Are you okay.' And in a last attempt to catch Azula's attention 'you can spend two hours at the pond instead of one tomorrow.'

Honestly, Azula wasn't in the mood to go to the pond at all.

"You're going to get a visitor tomorrow." Shou tired.

I get lots of those. Azula mused inwardly.

"Your brother. He's worried about you." They reached the door.

Azula was quick to pry it open, enter the room, and slam it in Shou's face. She felt like a ten year old girl again.

She peered out the barred window. It was dark out now. Lu-Ming must have talked to her for well over an hour. He wasted both of their times. With a heavy sigh, Azula lie down on the bed, drawing her legs up to her chest.

What a way to spend her birthday.

That night she cried herself to sleep. They were silent tears—the last thing she needed was for Shou to see her cry. It was bad enough she let her brother and the water peasant see.

Azula couldn't quite be sure of the time when she awoke. She just noted that it was still dark. Azula also couldn't seem to place what woke her up. She looked around the room. Not a person…dead or alive in sight. But the sensation still lingered.

Azula shuddered and lie back down. This time drawing the covers over her head for good measure. How pathetic, what was a thin sheet of cloth going to do to protect her?

And then came a series of thuds. They were soft at first, Azula could barely hear them. But naturally they grew to a notable volume—one that Azula could hear, but others could not.

Azula sunk deeper into the mattress…well she tried to anyways.

"Don't ignore me…"

"Don't."

"Ignore."

"You can't ignore me."

Azula still tried. She pressed her hands firmly over her ears and squeezed her eyes shut. But his voice didn't come from anywhere in the room—it never did—it came from within her. Xin always had a way of projecting his voice into her head.

And flashing images of himself beneath her closed eyelids.

She couldn't ignore him.

"Talk. To. Me." Xin hissed. "You talked to him. YOU TOLD HIM!"

Azula pressed harder, her own nails digging into her skin. How would she explain that to Shou?

"You have to listen to me. Have to speak to me." He sounded frantic.

"No. No leave me alone." She tried to shout, but her voice lost all the power it once had. She wasn't intimidating anyone, especially not Xin.

"Vengeance. I will have vengeance. You'll help me get it. You just have to let me in."

She wanted to refuse, to tell him off. But what her mouth decided to let out was a hitched "Mother. Please. Help me."

"I SAID LET ME IN!" Xin yelled and gave her a swift shove off the bed.

She landed with a thud. Her head pounded, stars obscuring her vision.

But not enough so that she couldn't see Xin looming over her—his mouth split, tongue flailing about.


	3. Chapter 3

When Azula woke up there was still a figure looming over her (and a slight ringing in her ears). She put a hand to the aching part of her head. Her fingers came back tainted a dark red.

"What happened?" Shou frowned.

The memories flowed right back to her. Xin-Kua. It was Xin…again. It always was. "I…I think I rolled off the bed." Azula wasn't too happy in painting herself as this klutzy uncaring type, but it was better than the truth.

"Sure looks like it." Shou mused aloud.

At least she bought the lie without questions or 'you did this to yourself' accusations.

"You hit your head rather hard. I think we should get you to the healers."

For once Azula couldn't disagree. She didn't much like the healers, or doing anything that may even hint off weakness. But where Xin was concerned…well, she'd rather play it safe. She got to her feet, the action rather dizzy-making. No sooner had she given a stumble did she find Shou's arm on her shoulder, helping to keep her upright.

Things hadn't gotten much better as they walked down the hall—her head kept spinning and her mind kept racing. Neither seemed to show any sign of stopping or even slowing. Xin was becoming more physical…dangerously so. She really needed to find someone to teach her how to block the spirits out, or at the very least confirm that they were indeed spirits and not just something her own mind made.

"Is Zu-zu really coming to visit me today?" Azula asked after a while. God she had to stop calling him that.

"He certainly is. So we best get your forehead healed before he gets here." Shou replied. "He's worried about you. That's what I've heard anyways."

Azula didn't reply. She really couldn't find the right words to reply with. She didn't think it was true, that Zuko was worried. And that his worry and care was the reason for his visit. He probably wanted something from her…information of sorts. Or maybe he'd come to brag. But as usual, she kept such thoughts where they should be; in her head.

The pair came to their destination. Azula always found the healing quarters to be rather odd. It was located within the building and had four white walls surrounding it but no ceiling and an all-natural grass floor. In this 'room' she was outdoors and indoors all at once and it drove her nuts. Not that she'd vocalize that either.

Speaking of things that drove her nuts…the pillars. Just before the tiles turned to grass and the ceiling ceased to be, the asylum's creator had decided to place a row of the unnecessary things. Apparently he or she thought a row of marble pillars on either side would be a nice touch. Azula thought it was simply a waste of money—money that could have been put into providing her with a more comfy bed and an extra pillow or two.

But above all else Azula hated the pond—this one anyways, her pond was fine. She didn't like the idea of nature-made water flowing within a man-made building. Being completely honest with herself she couldn't quite understand why it bugged her so much. It was as if the builders had constructed the entire asylum around this one spot. That's probably exactly what happned. Azula rolled her eyes. Leave it to the ancestors to do something so silly. Why her many greats grandfather let that go was beyond her.

"Morning Princess." Called one of her fellow patients, the one with the weird hair. Before this girl, Azula had never seen someone with hair so light; it was like brown only much, much—sandier?—in color. Someone needed to invent a name for this hair color.

"Good morning peasant." Azula replied with a lazy flick of her wrist.

"Azula, we talked about this." Lu-Ming emerged from behind one of the pillars—one of the other reasons why she hated them so.

"Talked about what?" Azula sighed.

"How you address other people." Lu-Ming replied.

"I address them as any Princess would." Azula insisted.

"We have a long way to go." Lu-Ming said to huffed.

Azula was poised to fire an 'I heard that', but the man straightened his robes and turned to do whatever it was that Lu-Ming does.

"He's kind of in a grumpy mood." Shou whispered to Azula. "He has been since this morning. Won't tell me why though." She rambled. "Kind of strange if you ask me."

"Aren't I supposed to be in for a healing session?" Azula reminded.

"Oh right! Yes!" Shou chirped. "I'll go sign us in right away!"

And so Azula was left to think again. This time about Shou herself. Azula doesn't hate the woman, not anymore anyways. Despite being a bit of a pain in the neck (and overly cheerful at that) and despite everything else, Shou was really the only person who treated Azula…normally.

She never gave Azula the funny looks she got from others—the ones that seemed to ask 'how did the Princess get here?' Shou didn't treat Azula differently either. In fact Shou, despite being a nurse, talked to Azula like Mai and Ty-lee used to.

Like a friend.

Azula would consider this friendship.

Consider.

No promises to herself, Shou, Lu-Ming, or anyone.

"Alrighty then." Shou clapped her hands together. "Yu-Lin will be with us after he finishes with Tay-oon." She motioned to the light-haired girl.

At least Azula wouldn't have to keep calling her by her strange hair color now. She chanced a glace over at Lu-Ming. The man was still leaning against the pillar, not doing anything at all. Azula shuddered—just one more reason to hate him. He was just as insane as he thought she was. Or so it would seem, as of that moment…

It only took one look back to figure out why. And one word to explain it.

Xin.

Xin, Xin, Xin! He was everywhere and Azula was getting tired of it. This time he seemed to be hanging around—literally so—Lu-Ming, and the idiot didn't even notice.

Xin locked his dead eyes on Azula's. "He can't help you."

Trust me, I know. Azula thought.

Xin flashed Azula a wicked grin before disappearing into Lu-Ming's body.


	4. Chapter 4

On Azula's list of the top ten things that scared her, that had to be number two—just beneath 'Iroh's chest hair' on the list. She shuddered just thinking about that one. Part of Azula wanted to cry out and tell Xin to leave Lu-Ming alone. But the other—more sensible—three fourths of her was content to let Xin go after Lu-Ming instead of her. Besides, the man deserved it.

"You're going to have to talk to me now." The words were shaped with his mouth but not spoken…a silent message for only Azula.

"Shou, I will speak to the Princess now." Xin declared.

"But she hasn't been healed yet." Shou pointed out.

"I'll take care of that." Xin shrugged.

"How?"

"The old fashioned way."

Azula cringed. She didn't really want to know what the old fashioned way was. But she asked him what that old fashioned way was regardless. In response Lu-Ming simply pointed to the band aid on Shou's arm. Azula relaxed a little. She honestly didn't know what she had expected.

"Come Princess." Xin grabbed her wrist.

"Maybe we should hire a backup psychologist to help Lu-Ming with his problems." Azula heard Shou mutter to one of the other nurses as Xin pulled her off. At least the last thing she'd hear before Xin killed her or something was funny.

"We need to talk." Xin said after they reached an empty area in the hall.

"You're pretty good at impersonation Ming. Though he usually says 'you' instead of 'we.' Keep working at it, you'll get better." Azula murmured, somehow Xin was less threatening as Lu-Ming.

"Your sarcasm is not funny, human princess." Xin remarked.

Azula shrugged, most people didn't seem to share her sense of humor.

"Look, human Princess, I think the only reason you never wanted to talk to me is because I looked scary. So I barrowed this human. You seem to talk to him a lot." Xin observed.

"Or perhaps I don't want to talk to you because the first time we met, you tried to kill me." Azula reminded him.

"We have much in common already, human Princess."

"Excuse me?"

"We both leave a rather frightening first impression."

Alright so the guy had a point. Azula had, at this point, lost track of how many people she tried to kill or harm upon first encounter.

"Look, I want to help you."

She'd also lost track or the amount of times she'd heard that one.

"I have the answers you need."

"And why should I trust you?" Azula asked.

"Because I was a Spirit Beacon too. And I was also sent here. They thought I was crazy…" Xin trailed off.

"And…" Azula beckoned him to continue.

"And what? That's all I'm going to tell you about me, until I know you trust me enough to do the same." He shrugged, leaving Azula to inwardly call him a spiritual pain in the neck. Not that he didn't think she was a royal pain in the ass. "However if you let me, I'll explain—to the best of my knowledge—what's happening to you."

Azula considered. "Fine. But you have to do it after my brother leaves and not a second before. And I don't want to talk to someone who looks like Lu-Ming.

"I'll see you at the midnight hour." Lu-Ming's eyes rolled back as Xin exited his body. "I almost forgot…" He tapped the band aid onto Azula's forehead and faded out.

She looked over at Lu-Ming's sleeping form and decided she should go back by Shou before the man had a chance to ask why he was on the floor in the most deserted hall in the building. Hopefully Shou had stayed put, if not Azula would be in a fair amount of trouble for—Heaven forbid—walking around unsupervised. Heaven knew she couldn't be left alone.

She headed back to the healing quarters regardless of the risk. Shou had to take her to visit with dear Zu-zu anyhow.

Upon re-entering the healing quarters, Azula found that Shou was nowhere in sight.

How typical. Azula sighed to herself. She looked to the left and to the right. The only people left in the room were Ta-Yoon, some other brown-haired boy, and a few of the healers. And the healers were already occupied with caring for the boy. He was always down here—he had a nasty habit of slitting his wrists. It always took a fair amount of water bending to fix the damage. "Ta-Yoon, surely you know where Shou went."

Ta-Yoon gave a little twitch. She then looked to the sky, then to the pond, and then back to the sky once more. Azula was about to scold the girl for ignoring her, but she spoke up first. "I think she told me to tell you that she was going to meet you in your room. And then something after that…something like if Lu-Ming asks tell him to talk to her. But I don't quite know, They kept interrupting."

And they all said Azula was insane. At least the voices in her head are real. But then again her confirmation was coming from one of the voices. Isn't that what they wanted? Her to believe that they are real. Azula impulsively threw her fist against the pillar—the healers were too preoccupied to notice the action. It was all so frustrating; on one hand she thought she was sane, wanted to believe so. But all at once she had her doubts. She punched the wall again, this time hard enough to make her draw away and shake her hand against the pain.

Ta-Yoon must not have seen much action these days, as the girl burst into a hysterical fit of laughter at Azula's pain. This caught the healer's attention, he'd probably be sending for Ta-Yoon's nurse. Azula figured that this was a good time to get moving.

Down the hall, make a right, and then a left, and another right. Third door to the left. Azula mentally ran through the directions to her room. She should know how to get there without thinking by now. However the feeling of walking independently just seemed so foreign and odd to her, she almost forgot how to do it. But she was Azula so of course she made it back without a struggle…okay, so she was supposed to go down the hall and make a left, but she noticed the error and corrected it.

"Oh thank goodness! You made it back without Lu-Ming finding out." Shou chirped. "I should have just stayed there. I could have gotten fired. Literally! Maybe!"

Azula shrugged. "So, do you think we kept little Zu-zu waiting very long?"

The smile faded from Shou's face. Azula would take that as a yes. The next think she knew Shou was off the bed and out the door. Azula hurried to catch up.

There Zuko was, standing by her favorite pond—what a sight ruiner.

He turned to her. "Azula."

"Zu-zu."

And then came the unsettling silence.

"I'm sorry. For having you sent here. But I think that…"

"I know what you think, Zu-zu. You think I'm a lunatic. Just like everyone else." Azula nudged at a rock with the toe of her shoe—anything to avoid eye-contact. A chanced glance upward revealed that Zuko apparently had the same idea as she.

"I don't…well I do. But I…" Zuko fumbled for the right words.

"I'm not seeing things. She was really there, our mother I mean."

"Our mother. We don't even know if she's alive."

"She isn't."

"Then how can you say that she was really there, Azula?"

I'm a Spirit Beacon. "You wouldn't understand."

"Try me, I've seen some crazy things."

"Let me guess, those crazy things are all the things I've done since we were kids?"

"No, Azula. That's not…oh never mind."

The tension seemed to thicken into something Azula could practically feel. Or perhaps it was another spirit—they always bought a certain air with them. Whoever it was, it wasn't Xin. He never hid. He had a different energy to him, a lighter one. Azula snickered to herself.

"What's so funny?" Zuko questioned.

"Oh nothing Zu-zu. Just this whole big mess." It wasn't a complete lie, this whole 'Princess locked away in an asylum' thing was humorous in its own dark way.

"I can make some tea." Shou offered.

"Please do." Zuko replied.

"What aren't you telling me Azula?"

"A lot of things Zu-zu."


	5. Chapter 5

"Well you can start telling me now." Zuko demanded.

Azula chuckled. "Oh Zu-zu, I don't have to tell you anything. You've already taken my crown, taken my pride, and locked me up in here. Daddy's been locked away tight and in here I can't use my bending. At this point you have nothing to use against me if I don't tell you."

Zuko's expression tensed. Despite it all, his sister was still good at playing the cards. Even if she had very few of them…the ones she had left, she had mastered in use. "What if I could promise you. I don't know. Freedom."

"Then I would ask you; for how long? Five minutes and then I'm back in here with no way of taking back the secrets I've shared?" Azula gave a lazy flick of her hair. Her voice a lazy sigh, a tone that just said 'I've heard that one before…next.'

"No. I mean I'd tell them to let you leave. For good."

Azula laughed once more. "And you just expect me to buy that lie? I don't even know why we're having this conversation. I'm not telling you anything. Especially if the question you wish to ask is about me."

"Tell me what you know about mother!" Zuko shouted.

"You hear that Shou? Maybe we should lock him up too. For his anger issues. He could stay in my room with me and read me bedtime stories just like when we were kids."

"Azula this is serious!" Zuko yelled.

"I am being serious." Azula shot him her classic wicked smile. "You and I would make for great roommates, I could show you my favorite crack in the wall."

Zuko slapped his palms against his head. She was just so absolutely infuriating, and stubborn, and just like him in more ways than either of them wanted to admit. He had offered her freedom and she threw it back in his face.

"What's the matter Zu-zu? Am I bothering you?" Azula asked. "If I am you could always just leave."

"I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what you know about our mother."

"Shou get him out of here, he's driving me crazy."

"I'm sorry Fire Lord Zuko. I'm going to have to ask you to leave. It's an asylum policy…you know, to ensure the safety of both the patient and those around him, or in this case, her." Shou requested.

"She's not going to have a breakdown! She's just saying that to get me to leave." Zuko huffed.

"We can't take that risk." Shou frowned.

Zuko took a deep breath. "Fine. I'll reschedule." He turned away.

Okay, so she would defiantly be adding Shou to her list of friends. She'd be at the top. She'd be the only person on it. Azula knew rather well that she had to actually be exhibiting actual signs of a breakdown to have her visitor tossed out. She thought about thanking Shou, but that was beneath her so she settled of a "Nice work Shou."

"Any time Azula."

Azula sat up, leaning against the bedpost. It was a little past lights out and she still had a few hours to go before Xin was to show up. And Azula would have a lot to complain about in the morning if he was a no show and she'd stayed up to such an ungodly hour for no reason.

Until then she had to find some way to keep herself awake.

Or she thought she would.

The method of staying awake came to her.

Like always it was subtle. A light scrapping sound to be exact. An irritating scrapping that had put goosebumps on her skin. "Xin?" She called out softly, the last thing she needed was someone to hear her 'talking to herself'.

The scrapping sounded on the other side of the room. "Xin?" Azula hissed. "If you want to talk, start talking." The only response came in the form of more scrapping…this time on the ceiling. With a groan Azula flopped down on her bed and stared at the ceiling.

Big mistake.

Azula squinted at the mark on the ceiling. It was darkly colored and seemed to shine in what little light shown through the window. She rolled onto her side—she'd just ignore it, she didn't have time for Xin's crap.

She felt something drip into her ear. It was lukewarm and discomforting as it flowed down her ear canal. She bolted up right and frantically dabbed at her ear with her blanket.

The cloth came away dyed scarlet. The color drained from Azula's face as another drop trickled down between her eyes and down her nose. And then another. Azula scrambled of the bed and sat down on the floor.

The scrapping started again, from beneath the bed. Not bothering to get to her feet Azula dragged herself backwards until her back met the wall. The scrapping grew in volume. "Xin, what the hell are you doing?" Azula asked through clenched teeth.

Not.

Xin.

The voice was raspy and whispered and seemed to come from all over the room.

Azula's breathing grew heavy, her heart thudding uncontrollably. This made Xin's work look like a silly game. This presence was suffocating.

A swirl of negative emotions and a sense of helplessness seemed to wash over Azula. She tried to steady her breathing but to no avail.

The scrapping grew in volume and much like the voice, occupied every nook and cranny of the room. Azula was once again reduced to covering her ears and trembling. She could fight Zuko, Long Feng, all of Team Avatar, and Aang himself. But she had absolutely no way of fighting this.

She was weak.

Vulnerable.

Both traits of which she tried to shed herself of.

She fixed her eyes on a spot beneath the bed. The scrapping slowed. She released the she'd been holding. But then she came to realize that something still wasn't right. The atmosphere around her didn't seem any less dismal. If anything the strange and sudden silence only served to fill her with even more dread.

It made a move. A skeletal hand black in color slinked out from beneath the bed. The scraps of black silk clinging to its bones flowed about as if they were entities of their own.

At this point Azula must have ceased breathing all together, for her vision grew cloudy. She dared to take a breath, it already saw her anyways. She squeezed her eyes shut hoping that if she did so long enough, the creature would just go away.

She let a minute or two slid by and opened her eyes. Its face was obscured by shadow but what she saw of it was one not to be forgotten; the skin hanging from its rotting, elongated and sharpened teeth, forever burned into her mind like the little flesh it had left.

She squeezed her eyes shut again until she felt its presence fade.

She opened her eyes. Perhaps she would just swallow her pride, call Shou, and tell her she was seeing things again. Anything to get out of that room.

Shou's name was at the tip of her tongue. But she somehow couldn't bring herself to call it. And then the hands, those skeletal hands snaked over her eyes.

And so she screamed.

She couldn't seem to find remember any words at all. She was too scared to actually search her vocabulary so she just continued to scream.

Scream until her throat started to sting.

And then her screams turned into sobs. Bitter sobs that shook her whole body.

"Just make them stop." She finally called out to dark of the room. "Make them go away." She drew her legs up close to her body and buried her face in her knees.

"The unborn are the worst of them." Xin dropped down next to her.

Azula didn't say anything, she simply sat there and cried.

"Would it help if I said things get better?"

"Not at all." Azula brushed the tears away with the back of her sleeve.

"If you're wondering why no one has come yet, I kind of stirred up a bit of ruckus to keep them distracted…and you unheard."

"I figured as much." Azula muttered.

"Of course you did." Xin agreed sarcastically.

"I'm a pretty good liar." Azula sniffed with a short sad laugh.

"Is that supposed to mean something?"

"Inside joke. With myself."

"Still in the mood for our little chat?" Xin asked.

"Well I didn't just stay awake and get attacked for nothing." Azula answered. "Tell me, what is a Spirit Beacon?"

"You are pretty much a human gate into the Spirit World. You are the one who essentially keeps the balance between the Spirit World and the Physical World…my world and your world in check."

"But I apparently, can hardly keep myself in balance. And isn't that the Avatar's job?"

"It can be. But, in this age the Avatar is focused on keeping balance in the Physical World. And because of that the spirits have been escaping into this world. Through you."


	6. Chapter 6

Azula twirled her hair around her fingers. "Though me?"

"As I said, human gate."

"I didn't think you meant it literally. How is that possible?"

Xin touched his fingers gently to her forehead. "Your dreams. Your anger. Your distress. They navigate through your thoughts and find their way into this world. Some of them at least. Like your mother. I don't think she likes me by the way."

"Don't take it personally, she doesn't like me either."

"That's not what she told me." Xin shared. "And she hasn't told me much at all."

"What about the others?" Azula changed the subject. "How do they get thorough?"

"The usual. Mirrors, ponds, rituals."

"Great." Azula muttered. "How am I supposed to stop them?"

"You have to be in the Spirit World of course. They can't be harmed in the Physical World." Xin explained. He glanced out the window. "I best let you get to sleep…"

"But you never told me how to get into the spirit world." Azula interrupted.

"I died before I found out. Consumed by the dark spirits. I'm still trying to separate from them." He faded out, leaving Azula to ponder those black eyes.

Sure Xin had left her so she could sleep, however that wasn't going to happen.

Not tonight.

Not after seeing what Azula decided to call the Skull Spirit.

Not after hearing Xin's last words. They left her to wonder if she'd ever share those dark eyes with him. If she couldn't find a way into the spirit world then they'd keep coming, more and more of them, until they suffocated her.

The thought kept her eyes open and fixed on the ceiling as her head conjured visions of the spirits surrounded and crawled over and into her body as Xin did to Lu-Ming. And so she stared and stared wishing that she had something to take her mind elsewhere.

She was standing at the edge of the pond, a slight breeze picking at her hair but it wasn't hers. It was darker than hers. She kicked a rock into the pond.

She was home.

A smile curved over her lips. Home.

She'd have to get her servants to fix her hair right away. A day of relaxation was long overdue. She hadn't had one since Sozin's comet. How nice it would be to have her servants instead of nurses. Azula dashed into the palace. Her palace.

"Father I'm home."

The man turned to her. It's been so long since she'd seen him.

"Father?"

But he seemed to look right through her.

"Leave us alone!" Zuko yelled.

The smile left her face. Leave it to Zu-zu to ruin everything again. Fine, she'd find Mai and Ty-Lee. Or at the very least Ty-Lee. She didn't care at all to bother with him today, she had so many other things to do. Perhaps she and Ty-Lee could do a little shopping—she'd been meaning to change out of those trashy asylum robes. She stepped out into the yard again.

Ty-Lee was already waiting for her.

How odd.

Azula hadn't even stepped off the porch when Ty-Lee's eyes went wide. Azula had never seen someone take off so fast. Azula's frown deepened .

What was wrong with her? Shouldn't she at least get a chance to explain herself?

With a huff she stormed back into the palace. Zu-zu would just have to deal with it. Opening the door didn't quite reveal what Azula had expected. Everyone was there; Ozai, Zu-zu, Mai, Ty-Lee, her mother, Aang, and the rest of his group. A second glance revealed that Lo and Li had even occupied a spot in the room.

"Demon!" The old women shouted in perfect unison. Their fingers both aimed in Azula's direction.

Azula was a lot of things; manipulative, tricky, sure. Evil? Probably, to some degree anyways. But a demon?

"Demon!" The twins repeated again.

"Just because I banished you two doesn't mean…" Azula started. Her words falling short when she caught her reflection in the mirror.

Her hair was defiantly darker and her skin much paler. And the left side of her lip slashed to the ear. But above all, her eyes…

So dark.

Lifeless.

They weren't her own.

The shadow snaked in and out of her body.

Every mouth in the room had a single word to chant. "Consumed."

Over and over again. "Consumed."

Azula bolted up so fast her blanket fell to the floor. "Consumed."

She was panting again, a few beads of sweat trickled down her neck. She didn't know how long she'd been asleep or even when she'd fallen into it. But she had slept long enough for her sleeping thoughts to work themselves into a frenzy.

"Consumed." She spat the words into the darkness.

She flopped back down and covered her eyes with her arm. Clearly she'd look a wreck in the morning. She was going to have to trick Shou into letting her put a little extra makeup on tomorrow.

Until then she'd have to just lie here waiting for the sun to awaken.

Lie there and try to focus on anything but the word 'consumed' or any synonym of the word.


	7. Chapter 7

There was a knock on her door. Azula made no motion to open it. All the nurses had a set of keys, Shou could just let herself in. Frankly, Azula was too tired to actually get up or even switch positions.

"I talked to Lu-Ming. He's allowing you an hour of bending a day." Shou declared cheerfully.

Naturally Azula would have been ecstatic but today she just didn't have the energy to muster up any enthusiasm…much less any blue flames. "I'll take it tomorrow Shou."

"Tomorrow? You sure? You've only been compla… talking about how much you missed bending since you got here."

Azula found the strength to roll onto her belly and burry her face in the pillow. "Sleep, Shou, I need sleep." Her voice a muffle lost within the pillow.

"Did you not get to sleep last night?"

"Shou, if I was able to sleep last night do you really think I would skip an opportunity to burn shit to the ground?" Azula asked.

"What kept you up this time?"

"This time, I just couldn't sleep. It was too cold, I was hungry, and I couldn't get comfortable without another pillow." Once again these weren't lies. She was rather hungry, the room was kind of chilly and Azula really wanted those pillows.

Shou sighed. "I'll talk to Lu-Ming about the pillows. But you're going to have to start eating lunch with the other patients."

"Tell him, if he's willing to give me the pillow, I may just be willing to try eating with the peasants."

"I'll talk to Lu-Ming while you talk with your brother. And try to make it a real visit this time."

"He's back already?" Azula frowned. She didn't think she ever frowned so hard in her life. She was exhausted, fearing consumption, and still pretty hungry. And now she'd have to deal with Zuko—he probably wouldn't go down easy this time either.

He was waiting for her by the pond again. "You ready to tell me what you know about mother?"

"Good morning to you too Zu-zu." Azula greeted with a yawn. "I had a rather rough night. You?"

Zuko rolled his eyes. "My night was fine Azula. I have no guilt to keep me awake."

"You also can't see dead people." She shrugged. "Mom says hi."

"I'm not playing around!" Zuko yelled.

"Neither am I." Azula perched herself on the largest rock she could find. "Did you ever once consider, Zu-zu, that maybe your dear little sister wasn't insane? That she could just do special things." She looked Zuko in the eyes. "Blue fire, lightning. I was always…different. I could always do strangely talented things."

"But seeing the dead? That's just—"

"Crazy? Insane? Psychotic? You wanted answers Zu-zu. I give them to you and you still complain. There's always something with you." Azula sighed.

"As if you're any better." Zuko shot back.

"I suppose you're right about that. Ever since you hauled me off to this place, I've had a lot to complain about—even more now that you've arrived."

"Do you really think you can see spirits?"

"Your good friend Aang can. Why is it so hard to believe that I can too?"

Zuko chewed the inside of his lip and shuffled around a bit. "Bring her here."

"What?"

"Bring her here. Ursa. Our mother…bring her to me, I want to talk to her."

"It doesn't work like that."

"You've been seeing ghosts for what? 3 months now? And you already think you know how to do it?"

Azula snarled. "If I 'knew how to do it' do you really think I'd let them hang around and keep me up at night? That I'd let them throw me around?" She rolled up her sleeves to show him the scratch mark etched into them. "That I'd worry about them…consuming me!?"

"Azula."

She, still positioned on the rock, turned her back on him, folded her arms over her chest, and crossed one leg over the other. Eyes fixed down at the water shimmering in the pond. And then her eyes met Ursa's. She squeezed her own shut.

"You wanted to talk to her Zu-zu? Here she is!" Azula shouted. "You can't even see her can you?" Her voice dropped to little more than a whisper.

"I. No, I can't." Zuko sighed. He sat down next to Azula. "But you can."

Azula shot him a brief glance…a surprised one. He'd caught her off guard. She wrapped her arms around herself and looked back to the ground.

"Please just give her a message for me." Zuko started.

"I'll give her the message if you give Aang one from me." Azula declared.

"If it has anything to do with 'how dare you beat my father', I'm not going to deliver it."

"No. I want you to tell him to teach me how to get into the Spirit World." Azula paused. "And then you have to get me out of here so I could do so."

"The Spirit World?"

"Just ask him Zuko!" Azula hollered. "Ask him before it's too late…"


	8. Chapter 8

Zuko strode away from the pond with a sense of dread. He couldn't be sure if his unease was second-hand, courtesy of Azula, or if it was his own. It was probably a mix of both. Not to mention the guilt finally settled in.

Perhaps instantly assuming his little sister was insane wasn't the smartest. But her father was insane…the excuse was becoming less helpful in easing the guilty feeling. And she was a terrible sister anyways, somehow even less so.

And of course there was the matter of relaying the message to Aang. And then convincing him to help the woman who literally zapped him to oblivion. On top of that, Zuko would have to work around Katara, Sokka, and Toph who would certainly have their objections.

Yup, he would be in for a Hell of a time.

Azula wasn't much better off herself. Zuko hadn't said that he wouldn't give Aang the message. However he never said he would either. Azula kicked a rock into the pond.

She never felt so frustrated before. She liked to be in control, of everyone and everything. As of late, she had no control over anything. Not even her own life. She hated relying on Zuko of all people to deliver important messages for her. And on Shou to get her simple luxuries.

"Well it's a start." Xin appeared behind her.

Azula ignored him and tossed another rock into the water.

"Did I do something wrong?"

Azula looked to either side. Shou was out of ear-shot, but still able to see her. She turned her back to Xin and more importantly to Shou. "No."

"Then what's going on?"

"Nothing."

"I can sense your distress."

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Don't want to talk about what Azula?" Lu-Ming asked.

"Anything. Not with you." She turned her gaze to Xin. "Not with anyone."

Lu-Ming handed a pillow to Azula. It wasn't as fluffy and comfy as the ones she had back at home, but it was something.

"I'm still not talking." Azula muttered. "That wasn't the deal."

"If I recall, the deal was that you'd eat with the others." Lu-Ming smirked. "Good thing it's lunchtime."

The man had managed to make dinner sound menacing. She'd have to ask Zuko if she was that bad. Azula looked towards the dining hall. She wasn't in the mood to associate with the peasants.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Xin offered.

"No." Azula replied.

"No, is not an option, unless you want me to take that pillow back."

One of these days Xin was going to get her in big trouble. She'd just have to ignore him until he figured out that she couldn't talk to him in public. Not until she was recognized as the world's strongest Spirit Beacon.

"I'm going." Azula hissed before storming off.

Shou gave a jump. "Wait for me! I have to come with you!" She dashed after Azula.

Azula continued walking despite Shou's desperate cries. She kicked the door open and stomped inside, far less than gracefully. She looked for an empty table and took a seat.

"I can go get you some food." Shou offered.

"Go ahead." Azula waved her off.

"You will stay put right?"

Azula shrugged.

"Anything you want in particular?"

To go home. "No." Azula wasn't feeling very hungry anymore. So naturally, when Shou came back with a plate full of food for her all Azula could really do was nudge it around with her fork, missing her fancy high-class meals.

"Please eat something. Even just a little."

Azula sighed and just to humor Shou, took a bite of the first thing to meet her fork.

"Do you want to…you know, talk to someone?"

For what had to have been the eighth time that day Azula said no.

"Well, I think the whole point of you eating in here was so you could talk to other people."

"Don't care." Azula continued poking at her food, wearing that same unentertained look she swore she wore on the night she lost it all.

Truth be told—other than Shou, Lu-Ming, and that one sentence she shared with Ta-Yoon—Azula hadn't really talked to any living person in a long while. But she didn't trust any of them anyhow. Yet deep down she really wanted to.

But she wouldn't risk anymore dignity in trying to be social.

"I'm going to go…"

"Have fun Shou. I won't." Azula cut her off.

"Are you alright? I haven't seen you this upset since your first night here."

"That bad huh?"

"No, not quite that bad, but still."

"Just go do…whatever it is that you do." Azula waved her off.

Just as Shou stalked off, another young man decided to drop his plate of food next to Azula's.

"Did I say you could sit by me?" Azula asked.

"Did I say you could destroy my house?" The boy asked.

"What?" Azula frowned. Upon looking up at the boy she found a familiar face. The boy from Ember Island…Chan. "You didn't seem to want to be anywhere near me on the beach."

"Yeah well, world domination wasn't exactly my idea of a date." Chan rubbed the back of his neck.

"Ha. Ha." Azula rolled her eyes.

"Aren't you going to ask me why I'm here?" Chan asked.

"I'm not interested." She took an absent minded bite of her food.

"Oh. Well, why are you here?"

"That's none of your business Chan. Besides, I'm going to get out of here very soon." Azula boasted. "I hope…"

"Can I go with you?"

"Probably not."

"Not even if I invited you to another one of my parties?" Chan offered.

At that point Azula was about ready to start talking to herself. Anything to get him to leave her alone. Of course she could also try just screaming psychotically at him. Maybe a disturbing combination of them both would even have Lu-Ming letting her eat alone again.

Azula opened her mouth to do just that when Chan spoke up again. "Ya know, overall the party wasn't that bad with you and your brother there. You should have just told me that you were royalty. Do you know how cool everyone would have thought I was?"

Azula positioned her arms on the table, groaned and let her head fall into them. This guy was infuriating. All he wanted to do was talk about himself. It was as if he thought he was actually more important than she was.

"I'm glad you found a friend." Shou smiled.

"He's not—"

"She hasn't really talked to anyone since she got here." Shou informed Chan.

Azula could feel her face grow hot. She buried her head in her arms again. Thanks to Shou, Chan was probably thinking that Azula would let him hang around.

"She's actually been lonely enough to talk to herself." She heard Shou whisper.

If Azula's face wasn't flushed red already, it sure as hell was after that.

"I'm so glad you found someone to talk to!" Shou chirped. "It'll make lunchtime much more enjoyable."

Azula ran a hand through her hair, drew in a deep breath, and let it out. Shou's optimism would surely be the death of her. That is unless the spirits get to her first.

"I'm here for anger issues." Chan shared.

"I said I wasn't interested." Azula's frown deepened even further.

"This is going to be such a beautiful friendship!" Shou clapped.


	9. Chapter 9

Zuko arrived at 5 that afternoon. This left plenty of time for Chan to talk Azula's ears off about all the wild parties he'd thrown and how muscular he was. The boy even managed to bring Ta-Yoon over to  _Azula's_  table. Azula had no intention of sitting with Ta-Yoon or Chan for that matter.

This time Azula and Zuko would be having their chat in Lu-Ming's office. She was hopping to have it by the pond…not with Lu-Ming.

Shou lead her into the room. "Have a seat, you know the drill."

Azula nodded and made herself comfy, or as comfy as she could get in this room. No matter what she did, she'd always feel a twinge of unease when in this room.

Zuko was the next enter the room. No Aang.

"Well what did he say?" Azula asked.

"He said he'd help you." Zuko answered. "I just have to get you out of here. That's why we're here."

Azula nodded. Frankly she couldn't wait to tell Lu-Ming off as she and Zuko walked out the door. And she would never be coming back here again.

"Have you talked to mom lately?" Zuko asked.

"I haven't seen her." Azula answered. She rested her chin in her palm. "Not since you left yesterday."

Lu-Ming slipped through the door. "To what do I owe the pleasure, Fire Lord Zuko?"

"I'm here to take my sister home."

Lu-Ming shook his head. "I don't think that's in your best interest. Or hers for that matter."

"I'll decide what's in my best interest." Zuko replied.

"I don't know what your sister has told you. But she hasn't even improved slightly. If anything, her delusions only worsened."

Azula slapped her hand on his desk. "Actually, I've shared a…nice" the word felt wrong rolling off her tongue, "lunch with the peasants." She paused. "In fact, Shou over there seems to think we have a…what was that you said?"

"Beautiful friendship?" Shou filled in.

"Yes, but I have observed no improvements where hallucinations are involved. As far as I've heard you still stay up at night waiting for 'them' to come get you. And you still haven't told me anything about your mother."

"Her name was Ursa. She had black hair. She married to my dad. She liked feeding turtleducks with Zu-zu. Anything else you want to know?"

"Yes. I want to know about your relationship with her."

"Okay, look, I'm just going to take Azula and leave. She's fine. If she gives me any trouble I'll bring her back her." Zuko tried.

"Permission. Denied." Lu-Ming answered firmly.

Azula's face flushed red with anger. And then she said something she never thought she would ever say; "You see Lu, you don't have a choice. Zu-zu is the Fire Lord, you are a peasant. Why don't you be a good peasant and listen to my dear brother?"

"In areas where your concerned…in matters of what happens in this asylum, your brother has no say. In case you don't recall, this asylum is located on an island  _near_  the Fire Nation. It is not a part of it. You nor your brother have no control over it and what happens in it. You are staying here."

Azula clenched her teeth, balled her fists, and gave a slight snarl.

"It's okay Azula. I'll take care of this."

"No you won't." Azula muttered "You'll get tired of fighting him and give up. Because with me gone…"

"Azula! Trust me."

She opened her mouth with every intention of vocalizing her refusal, but the words that came out were more or less "alright Zu-zu."

"See, she's doing much better." Zuko tried.

Lu-Ming chuckled. "A wonderful act. But really, your sister outta stay with us."

Azula could see Zuko growing visibly frustrated. She could only imagine that she looked the same. Or worse. But who, in their position, wouldn't be?

"She is staying with us, Fire Lord. And that is final."

"You don't understand! I have to leave or I will probably die in some sense or another." Azula outburst.

"See there's that crazy talk, she thinks she's in danger when there is clearly nothing to fear." Lu-Ming leaned closer to Azula. She could feel the darkness ebbing off of him. An aura that wasn't quite his own. Something wasn't right. "She needs to stay here. With us. With me." He grabbed Azula's wrist, his nails digging into her skin, re-opening the previous cuts.

Azula cried out. He dug his nails in deeper and flashed her a wicked sharp-toothed smile. Without a moments more hesitation, Azula wrapped her own hand around his wrist and let the fire flow from her hand.

The man drew back immediately and landed as slap on her cheek.

"Azula!" The cry came from both Shou and Zuko.

"Stay back!" Azula demanded. "All three of you, get away from me!" She paused and looked at Lu-Ming. "Epically you. You need to stay at least ten feet away from me at all times."

"Or what, Princess?" Lu-Ming hissed.

"Or we'll see what happens when I let daddy out of prison." Azula shrugged.

Lu-Ming laughed and lunged in for a second slap. Azula grabbed his hand and sent an array of her trademark blue fire in his direction.

"Azula what are you doing?!" Zuko yelled.

"He slapped me first!" Azula shouted. "And it's not Lu-Ming. Not the real Lu anyways."

"What's going on?" Shou shouted. "What do you mean, 'not the real Lu'?"

"Just…just follow me. We have to go. Now!" Azula grabbed Shou by the wrist and tugged her through the door. She could only hope that Zu-zu got the hint and was following behind.

"Azula wait!" He called.

"No time." Azula shouted back.

"Azula this is crazy!"

"Apparently I'm crazy, so I guess it's all okay."

"I still don't understand." Shou wailed.

"I'll make this really simple." Azula replied. "I'm breaking out of here."

"Sweet! Can I come?" Chan hollered. "Ta-Yoon too." He didn't wait for an answer, he never actually intended to, he and Ta-Yoon simply began running alongside Azula.

"Guards! After them!" Lu-Ming screamed. "Capture the Fire Lord, capture the nurse, capture the patients, and above all—capture the Princess!"

"Azula, just how do you plan on getting us through those  _locked_  doors?" Zuko asked.

Azula felt a familiar chill. "Xin."

"What?" Zuko called.

"Xin. Xin will get us through." Azula shouted. That damned ghost boy better be listening. If he wasn't, he'd be dead twice over.


	10. Chapter 10

Chan was the first to reach the door. Without a moment's hesitation he began kicking at it and pounding on it. Azula looked to Xin who was lazily hovering above the ground, making no indication of actually unlocking the door.

"Xin!" Azula hollered.

The ghost boy cast a gaze up at her. It with a lazy flick of his wrist, the door slide open—sending Chan crashing to the floor. Ta-Yoon helped him to his feet and pulled him along. Zuko followed shortly behind.

"I have to stay here." Shou muttered to Azula.

"You're coming with us." Azula insisted and pulled her along.

"Azula. Let. Go." Shou huffed.

"Fine. Stay here." Azula murmured. She let go of Shou's wrist and sped out the door. She chanced one last glance back. Lu-Ming stood in the doorway, his skeletal hand on Shou's back. The Skull Spirit. Azula shuddered. Couldn't Shou at least sense something was wrong?

"Shou, be a good girl and hunt them down." Lu-Ming smirked.

Shou gave him a blank nod. Any desire to go back for Shou burned out at that moment. The girl—her friend—had already been consumed. Another friend she didn't get to keep. Another friend who had stabbed her in the back and joined the enemy. She'd make a mental note of that; don't let anyone in.

"The carriage is just over there." Zuko pointed.

Azula was the first to get in the carriage, earning herself a 'hey, you can't be here, this is the Fire Lord's carriage.' Said Fire Lord, was the next to find his seat.

"Is there going to be any room for Chan and Ta-Yoon?" Zuko asked.

"Who cares, I didn't invite them anyways." Azula shrugged.

Chan shoved Zuko aside and squeezed himself (alongside Ta-Yoon) into the carriage. "I guess they can." Zuko remarked.

"Just lovely." Azula brushed some loose strands of hair behind her ears.

"We'll head to the palace first—"

"They're still after us Zu-zu." Azula pointed out and cast a look out the window.

"I'll keep the guards on high alert. They won't get in."

"I still don't like it." Azula found herself subconsciously wrapping her arms around her body.

"I'm sure it'll be fine." Chan gave his input.

"I didn't ask you." Azula snapped and crossed her arms.

"You should be happy, you're going home." Zuko pointed out.

Azula shrugged, she had really missed being in a carriage. After being carried around in a wheel chair (clad in a straitjacket) or stuck walking, being back in the royal carriage was rather nice. And her own bed would be lovely too—soft and with a sufficient supply of pillows and a nice silk blanket…frankly Azula couldn't wait to go to bed.

But bringing Chan and Ta-Yoon along for the ride was less than pleasing. And meeting Mai and Ty-Lee again wouldn't be much fun either. A thought that hadn't occurred to her until that moment.

"We can even have a little welcome home party."

"No thanks." Azula sighed. "No one would want to celebrate that anyhow." She hadn't meant to vocalize that part. It earned her a look of sympathy from both Zuko and Xin. Now wasn't the best time to tell Xin that there wasn't enough room in the carriage for him to be floating around.

"Anyone else feeling a little cold?" Ta-Yoon asked. Chan nodded.

"I'm sure that Ty-Lee will be happy to see you again." Zuko tried.

Azula gave a bitter laugh. "Zu-zu. No one will be joyful to see me back. Don't pretend like they didn't try to talk you out of getting me."

Zuko frowned. It was true, Katara was particularly against Azula being anywhere near the throne. Naturally Sokka had her back as well. It was Iroh who had convinced them to give Azula another shot. If it weren't for him, Zuko would have probably just left his sister to the spirits.

He made a motion to speak. Azula, however, had already turned to look out the window.

She missed it; seeing the town. The world outside the asylum. She had almost forgotten there was one. Truth be told she was rather nervous to be back, it's been such a long time. And how would people look at a fallen Princess? Azula chewed her lip. A bump in the road had her biting down a bit too hard.

Hard enough to draw blood.

"It'll be alright." Zuko put his arm around her. "I was gone for three years…"

"I don't need your sob story Zu-zu, and I'm fine." She promptly swatted his arm away.

"You sure don't look alright." Chan pointed out.

"I still didn't ask you!"

The carriage pulled into the courtyard. It felt truly odd to be back home. Nothing like Azula expected. Of course her expectations included things going right back to the way they were before she had left. Even she knew that, that was utterly ridiculous.

Waiting in the doorway stood Team Avatar. No Mai and Ty-Lee. All four of them seemed to stare Azula down as she made her way through the door.

"Can you really see them too?" Aang asked. "The spirits?"

"I hope so." Azula answered. She paused. "Can you see him?" She motioned towards Xin.

"Yeah. I've talked to him before. He doesn't say much, but he comes around."

"Doesn't talk much? I can't get him to shut up!"

"That is not the truth." Xin protested. "I'm pretty quiet at night, compared to some of the others."

Aang nodded. "I see more spirit animals than human spirits though. Xin is one of the only humans I've seen around, actually."

"Yeah, well I get a good mix of human spirits and…" Azula searched for the right word.

"Demons. You see more demons. That's what happens when the gate is left open." Xin gave his input.

"So what are you?" Aang questioned.

"A consumed soul. Or a half demon. That's why I'm stuck here. I don't belong to Heaven and I don't belong to Hell."

"I'm sorry." Aang shot him a sympathetic look.

"Okay. This is getting weird." Sokka interrupted.

Xin ignored him. "Which is why we…the Human Princess needs you." He grabbed Azula's arm and pulled up her sleeve, revealing a black ring around her wrist. "She needs to learn to fend them off before she ends up like me."

She thought again of her nightmare.

Of her reflection.

Those black eyes.

Soulless black eyes.


	11. Chapter 11

"Can someone please explain to me, what's going on?" Sokka asked.

"We're talking to spirits." Aang declared.

"Well, can you do that in privet, it's kind of creepy?"

"Deal with it, filthy peasant." Azula hissed. Azula didn't know that Zuko was going to bring all of the Avatar's friends along. She should have mentioned that she only wanted Aang there. Frankly, Katara was the last person Azula ever wanted to see.

Her eyes wandered down to her wrists. Mixed within the lovely marks left by Xin and the other spirits, as well as the newly discovered black mark, were the scars left by the chain Katara bound her with on the day of the comet.

Azula hadn't put much to the chains since that day. Not until just now anyways.

Perhaps the water peasant had noticed Azula absent-mindedly rubbing at the scars, for she refused to meet the Fire Princess' gaze. Or maybe it was simply the bad blood coursing between the two. Either which way, Katara refused to look Azula in the eye.

What an awkward couple of days this would be.

How foolish was it to think that it'd only last a few days?

"So, when do we start?" Azula asked.

"Well, I was hoping to go one of the Air Temples…" Aang started.

"Why can't we just do it from here!?" Azula frowned.

"I feel like I have a better connection to the spirit world when I'm in the Air Temples."

Yup, definitely foolish to believe this would be a three day deal.

"Are all of them coming with us?" Azula motioned to the rest of the group.

"Whether you like it or not." Toph shrugged.

"Can all of us even fit?" Chan asked.

"You're not coming with us." Azula repeated.

Zuko spoke up "I actually think it would be a good idea to bring Chan and…"

"Ta-Yoon." Ta-Yoon filled in.

"Chan and Ta-Yoon along. You could use someone you don't…hate."

"But I do hate Chan." Azula pointed out. "Fine, Ta-Yoon can come. Chan has to stay."

Of course, despite all her protests, Chan was seated way too close to her on Appa. He and Ta-Yoon were already chatting it up about how exciting this was. Azula just couldn't wait to land, get into the spirit world, get this over with, and put it behind her.

Something told her that would easier said than done.

"Why are we landing?" Azula frowned.

"For one thing we have to get some camping supplies. For seconds Mai and Ty-Lee are also coming with us.

Azula dug her nails into Appa's saddle. "Exactly how many people do you think Appa can hold, Zu-zu. Without getting slowed down?"

"Appa will be fine." Zuko assured her. "Besides, what harm could a longer trip be?"

"The longer the trip takes, the less time I have to keep them from consuming me." Azula replied.

"I'm sure you'll have plenty of time."

"And I don't want to waste any of it on Mai and Ty-Lee!" Azula practically screamed. And at the poorest time too—Mai and Ty-Lee had walked up to Appa.

"Thanks Azula." Mai muttered.

"Anytime! Thanks for supporting me when I needed it." Azula shot back. "You get the supplies Zu-zu, I'll wait here." She climbed back on to Appa. The beast gave a slight bellow, leaving Azula to wonder if her presence bought the poor thing any discomfort. Honestly, she cared more about his comfort than the others', at least Appa never hurt her.

She waited for them all to disappear within the shop before beginning her rather embarrassing conversation with Appa. "I hope I'm not bothering you…if I am…well you bothered me first with your shedding. But I think we can both look past that."

Appa gave a lazy snort. So Azula continued. "I like you better than any of these guys." Azula pointed to the store and gave Appa's fur a stroke. Maybe she could—at the very least—win him over.

Appa seemed to relax a little so she kept it up. "If you ever get tired, just remember, it's Zu-zu's fault for inviting so many of his dumb friends." Azula rolled her eyes. "I tried to talk him out of it." She added.

That would be the best conversation she had that day, the rest of them were either awkward or ended in fighting. Azula found herself thinking how absolutely pathetic it was that her best conversation was with an animal…that her favorite traveling companion (and the only one she got along with, for that matter) was a bison.

How keen were her social skills?

Apparently they were bad enough that Azula ended up getting shunned by the rest of them. Team Avatar conversed with each other. Zuko stuck to Mai and Ty-Lee. And surprise surprise, Chan and Ta-Yoon had each other.

Azula wanted to carry out another conversation with Appa, but she didn't want to earn herself anymore glares. Nor did she want to be the subject of one of their conversations.

By the time the group landed it was sunset. Azula had wanted to keep going, despite Sokka's 'I'm tired' complaints and Zuko's 'it's getting to dark to fly' comments. She gave in when Aang mentioned how tired Appa was. If she and Appa were going to be friends she'd have to care about his needs.

"Who's tent is Azula sleeping in?" Ty-Lee asked.

"We'll I'm not staying with her." Azula pointed at Katara. "I also refuse to stay with Chan and I don't care to stay with Toph either she's always doing something filthy."

"What!?" Toph yelled.

"And I don't want to talk to you or Mai either." Azula added.

And then came the tears. Ty-Lee cried over the stupidest things. At least Azula hadn't stabbed her in the back.

"Azula!" Mai snapped.

"What? It's not like I haven't made her cry before." Azula shrugged. "Anyways, I can't stay with Ta-Yoon because she's rooming with Chan. Sokka is with his sister…but I didn't want to sleep in his tent either…"

"So whose tent are you staying in, Azula, mine or Aang's and Toph's."

Azula scowled she didn't care to stay with any of them. "I'll just sleep out here. Alone."

"Come on, that's ridiculous." Zuko sighed.

"Not as ridiculous as spending a night in a tent with one or two people I can't stand."

Ty-Lee's sniffles turned into all out bawls. Azula had no plans to make amends. She deserved the tears. She deserved the hate Azula was giving her. Right?

"Azula, leave her alone." Mai hissed.

"What are you going to do? It's not like we have a friendship to worry about or anything."

"At least Ty-Lee was trying to get along with you." Mai spat.

"Why are you even trying to help her?" Katara shouted at Aang.

"Because…" Aang started.

"There is no good reason." Toph cut in.

"No good reason!? I could die!" Azula threw her arms skyward.

"And that's our problem?" Toph questioned.

"Maybe it would be for the best if you did." Katara snapped.

"Why couldn't you just stay with one of them?" Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Because I don't like these people, and they hate me even more! I can take a hint, no one wanted to stay with me anyways." The tears now prickled at Azula's eyes. "I was doing everyone a favor by not staying with them."

Everything seemed to stop. Sokka's angry expression seemed to soften.

"Are you guys really falling for this?" Katara asked. "Chan for one didn't do anything to Azula."

"Well, actually…" Zuko started. "He was pretty much a jerk, Mai can vouch for that."

"Look, I don't care. My point is, Azula has been picking fights with us all day, and you're just going to believe her when she puts on this little victim act?"

Azula whipped away the tears. "It doesn't matter. I said I was sleeping by myself anyways."

"Then do it, stay by yourself in the forest. We don't care." Katara yelled. "We're done letting you push us around."

"Guys, can we just go to bed. Please?" Ty-Lee asked.

"I agree, I think we should go to bed." Ta-Yoon nodded. "Talk this over in the morning."

"We still have to decide where Azula is sleeping." Aang pointed out.

"We already have. Remember? She just told us all that she'd rather stay alone than with us 'filthy peasants.'"

"Azula, please at least stay with me. I'm your brother. Believe it or not, I do care."

Azula ignored him as she curled up next to Appa. She'd stay by him. Not only did he seem to appreciate her, but he was warm and soft and a suitable substitute for a pillow.

"Come on, be reasonable."

"I am being reasonable. Appa needs company too. At least he likes me. I think." Azula's voice was barely a whisper by the end of her sentence.

Zuko slid himself down next to her and pulled her into his arms. "Then I guess I'll stay out here with you."

"I don't want you to." But her voice had lost all its fight. Truth be told, she did want him there. She wanted anyone to just hold her and tell her it would be okay. Between the ghosts and this little journey, Azula didn't know how much more she could take.

She let a choked out sob and tried her best to suppress the next. "I hate them all and they hate me."

"That's not true." Zuko pulled her closer.

"I don't know what to do, Zu-zu." Azula confessed. Her tears didn't slow. At this point she was practically crying for crying. She promised herself not to cry again. "They're going to kill me and no one wants to help me without some incentive. What if I can't get into the spirit world? What if the Skull Spirit comes back? Or they find me and take me back to the asylum? And what about Shou!? She wouldn't come with me, and now they have her."

"I—I don't know." Zuko admitted. "But we'll figure it out. Try not to think about it so much." Easier said than done. Zuko knew that.

"How am I not supposed to think about it?" Azula asked. "Even when I'm sleeping I think about it. Do you know how many times I dreamed about getting consumed?"

"That whole fight wasn't about where you were going to sleep was it?" Aang asked. "You're afraid and confused and…you just want someone to help."

And there it was, out in the open for everyone to see and know. As if the whole crying situation wasn't embarrassing enough.

"It's alright. Zuko was the same way actually. Ya know, when we first met him." Aang laughed.

Now Zuko had his face hidden within Appa's fur. Embarrassment seemed to be a family event. Azula couldn't help it, she gave a slight laugh.

"You want me to show you how to restore your honor?" Zuko rolled his eyes and gave a laugh of his own.

"Perhaps." Azula sniffed and wiped the tears from her eyes. "Just don't get father involved, I don't think he has enough honor to spare."

At this point the laughter was now circling around the group.

"Clearly we've all had a rough day." Aang remarked. "Perhaps we can all just wipe the slate clean and start over tomorrow?"

"Or we can start over tonight." Ty-Lee chirped.

Everyone nodded.

"Awesome." Chan smiled. "…So, where's Azula going to sleep?"

"Except for him. We won't get along with him." Azula had to retain some of her sassy reputation. With the exception of Chan, the group shared another laugh.

"Maaaybe we should just forget about the tents, find the softest piles of dirt, and go to sleep, just like old times." Sokka suggested.

"Yes, because Toph wasn't gonna help anyways." Katara remarked.

"Ha ha." Toph smiled and gave Katara a playful punch on the shoulder.

Azula rolled herself out of Zuko's arms, and back on to Appa.

"This arrangement okay with you?" Zuko asked as he sprawled a blanket over her.

With a yawn, she nodded.

Perhaps this field trip wouldn't be as bad as she had assumed.


	12. Chapter 12

Azula couldn't place what exactly had tugged her from the best sleep she'd had in a while. She looked at her wrist—though the mark seemed to tingle and sting, it looked the same as before.

Appa gave a grunt. The bison seemed rather restless himself.

Azula sat herself up right and glanced around.

All the t4rees in the clearing rustled, giving the illusion that the forest was closing in around them.

"Who's there?" Toph mumbled

Azula shrugged. By now she was standing, on full alert. For once Azula actually hoped their intruder was a bandit or something of that nature. At least she could fight back.

And then came the crying.

Crying and screaming.

The cries could have been from a person of any age. There was a good mix.

It came from all directions. From the sky and between each and every surrounding tree. If Azula hadn't felt claustrophobic before, the trees seemed to press in even further.

The crying grew louder.

Toph seemed unfazed. But Ta-Yoon had emerged from her tent, Chan not far behind.

Azula saw a figure dash between the trees. Than another, and another. They had no real shape or form. They were just shadows.

Shadows with two small yellow orbs for eyes.

Shadows currently shaped like your kiddy Halloween-esque ghosts with twiggy little legs.

They didn't come off to Azula as the source of the crying and screaming, but what else could be emitting the sound?

One of the shadows let out an ear-piercing screech. A screech that sent Appa roaring and stomping around. The bison was going rather nuts. Me too Appa. Azula found herself thinking. Me too.

What's going on!?" Zuko shouted over Appa's cries.

Azula pointed to the shadows.

"I don't see anything."

"Can you at least hear them." Azula was shouting over Appa and the shadows.

"No, I can't."

"You don't!? How do you not hear them!" Ta-Yoon shouted.

"They're surrounding us." Azula noted.

"Who?" Aang asked.

Azula pointed again.

She never thought she'd hear Aang scream so shrilly.

Sokka jumped out of the tent, boomerang in position. Katara emerged right next to him set on waterbending.

"Mai, Ty-Lee, get over here!" Azula shouted. Everyone else was up and ready to kick ass, why not invite them along too. Chan could stay asleep for all Azula cared.

The two girls took their time but joined the rest of the group.

One of the shadows broke away from the group still dashing between the trees. Like a skipping film it entered the clearing and neared Azula.

From this distance she could make out a think jagged bolt of a mouth.

A mouth that released silent chatter.

"Consume, kill, take." Ta-Yoon whispered.

Chan emerged from his tent.

"Kill human. Take human. Consume human." Ta-Yoon muttered.

"What the hell are you saying?" Azula hissed.

"I'm not the one saying it." Ta-Yoon pointed to the shadow. "He…it is. I'm just forwarding the message." She shrugged.

The shadow moved in even closer. Azula was now staring into two yellow orbs.

They were so bright.

So enticing.

The mark on her wrist pulsed and began coiling up her arm in a spinning motion.

Azula didn't notice.

Those eyes.

She couldn't seem to focus on anything else.

She wanted to get closer to the eyes.

To that light.

Zuko had seen his sister do some weird shit, but this…this was a whole new level. Her eyes dilated, movements slow and breathing erratic but in an odd serene way. The mark on her wrist now completely covering her arm and expanding to her neck.

Consumed. Zuko thought. Is this what she was worried about? He was filled with an overwhelming sense of grief. This was his fault. He was the one who insisted that she had time.

"Stay away from her." He screamed at the shadow. Or maybe he didn't—he couldn't even see it. "Azula snap out of it! Look at me."

He turned her around, her head was limp, her whole body was limp, Zuko didn't even know how she managed to stay upright. Her dilated eyes had a dazed look to them. An almost foggy one. "Azula?"

She didn't respond.

Not to him anyhow.

She let out a sickening choked gurgle. Blood ebbing its way through her lips. Her eyes went completely black as the unseen took over her body.

"Consumed." Zuko whispered. He didn't know what to do.

His sister stumbled forward. It was clear to Zuko that the thing inside her body didn't know how to use it very well. Zuko took a step back to avoid the thrashing over her arms.

"Zuko, what's going on?" Ty-Lee asked. And for the second time that night she burst into tears. "Zuko, she's scaring me."

"She does that a lot." Mai sighed.

"It…it's inside her." Ta-Yoon remarked.

"What is!? I feel like I'm always the one left out of the loop!" Sokka hollered.

Another shadow stopped it's dashing and edged toward Ty-Lee.

"You have to move." Ta-Yoon commanded. "It wants you too."

"What does?" Ty-Lee bawled.

"Just move." Ta-Yoon shouted again.

Ty-Lee darted backwards, just out of its reach.

The shadow lunged for Azula. A movement Ta-Yoon mentioned to Zuko.

Avoiding Azula's aggressive swats—easier said than done—he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her back.

"Can't even stop at one?" Zuko called to the forest.

Chan sent a rain of fire into the forest. "Stay back. All of you stay back."

The shadows hissed and glowered at the flames. They retreated back into the forest. All of them but the one within Azula.

The girl was now screaming, trying to twist her way out of Zuko's clutch—movements sloppy and inhuman in the most unsettling way.

"Azula, please listen to me." Zuko tried. Christ, the girl wouldn't listen to him when she had control over her mind, why the hell did he even try getting her to listen in this state? But he tried coaxing her… the shadow into calmness anyways.

She lurched forward against Zuko's grip with her entire body weight, nearly pulling both of them to the ground.

The shadow was defiantly figuring out how to put Azula's strength to use.

"Stop fighting me." Zuko demanded through clenched teeth.

Zuko didn't expect any compliance whatsoever, but he did not expect his sister to bite him. Consumed or not.

But it had happened, teeth digging into flesh. She had broke skin.

When he still didn't unhand her, Azula began to snarl and growl. The shadow may have mastered movements, but English was still not an area of expertise.

Katara finally had enough. She wormed her way between brother and sister, and gave Azula a forceful shove to the ground.

Zuko backed away.

Azula didn't even bother to pick herself back up. Or maybe the shadow simply didn't know how. She dragged herself toward him, nails tearing up the ground.

"Chan, do something." Ta-Yoon barked.

"What am I supposed to do." His voice was hysteric.

Whose wasn't at that point?

"I don't know! You got rid of the other ones. Do what you did to them."

"You want me to set her on fire?"

"Never mind."

"Fire." Sokka mused aloud. "That's it. Fire! You don't have to burn her…try waving the fire in her face or something."

"Sokka that sounds completely absurd." Katara snorted.

"You have any ideas? 'Cause I'd love to hear them."

Katara rolled her eyes.

"Will someone hold her still?" Chan asked.

Zuko sighed. Since she was already on the ground he would just have to pin her there long enough to go through with Sokka's ridiculous plan.

Chan moved forward, fire dancing at his fingertips. "Okay then, we can do this the easy way or the hard way.

Azula hissed.

"Alright…the hard way." Chan bought the flame down closer to Azula's face. This earned him a stern look of disproval from Zuko that he chose to omit from his focus. "It's time for you to leave. You don't belong here."

Chan hovered the flame above Azula's wrist—far enough to singe the skin, but close enough to deliver a point. "I said leave!" Chan put on his most empowering voice—one he'd learned from mimicking his father.

Azula gave an unexpected jerk, wrist brushing against the flame. She screamed; and from her mouth escaped a dark cloud. Her body un-tensed. Her breathing now a heavy pant.

She bolted upright, knocking Zuko off of her, and clutched her burned wrist.

"Here. Let me help." Katara put a hand on her shoulder.

Azula flinched away. "I don't need help."

"Just give her a minute." Zuko urged.

Azula sat there shivering, cradling her wrist. Despite the burn she was cold.

Everything was so cold.

So dark.

So filled with despair.

"Let her help you baby." Ursa put a gentle hand on Azula's cheek. The woman seemed to be giving off a calm vibe.

Azula felt herself relax and her breathing even itself out again.

"Tell her to help you now." Ursa gave her a soft, reassuring smile.

Azula nodded slightly. The waterbender took that as her cue.

No one ever used waterbending to heal her before. Azula clenched her teeth at the momentary discomfort of the water. The feeling came to pass and was replaced by a rather pleasant one. Azula released the breath she had been holding.

The waterbender pulled away.

Everyone and everything was silent. Appa didn't stir. No one said a word. And the forest was motionless—it was probably worn out by the shadows.

"It happened didn't it?" Azula shuddered. "I was…" She couldn't bring herself to finish.

"Possessed." Xin filled in. "Different from consumption. With consumption, they take your soul—and there are any of them. With passion they take your body—and there's only one. You were possessed. That can be fixed. Consumption cannot." Xin muttered in her ear.

Reassuring as ever.


	13. Chapter 13

Azula woke up with her head pounding and her ears ringing.

It was early, everyone else still seemed to be sound asleep—particularly Sokka, whose snoring could be heard clear across the forest.

Azula snuck away from the rest of the group. She'd have to be back before the others woke up, before they had a chance to wonder where she had left to. Truth be told Azula didn't really know where she was going, she just wanted to get away from that clearing.

Azula ran her hand over one of the trees—it was still scarred from Chan's abrupt blast of fire. How the forest didn't burn to the ground was beyond Azula. With all the spirits wandering around Azula just assumed that either they protected it or the forest put itself out. Or maybe those tress just weren't flammable.

She came to a spot in the forest where the trees seemed to thicken and the sound of water rushed by.

Azula would look for the source of the noise. What else had she to do anyhow?

The creek was only a few footfalls away, obscured by a wall of thickets. Azula burned a path tough them—and unlike Chan, decided to put the fire out before passing thorough.

The creek was almost as soothing as the pond at the asylum, with its burbles and slurps. Azula watched as a school of fish made their way down the creek, their silvery fins creating a shine against the water.

Azula dipped her fingers into the water allowing the fish to brush against them.

With much hesitance she peered at her reflection. The fear ebbed away upon seeing her eyes un-clouded by black. The familiar gold color, a reassuring sight. But other than that she was rather less than pleased; her hair disheveled (still slightly marred from taking her scissors to it), eyes tired. She looked rather sickly. Perhaps she should have eaten more at the asylum.

Before she could find anything more to criticize her reflection morphed into that of Xin.

The ghost boy really knew how to draw attention to himself.

She waited for him to speak up first. When he didn't, she turned to leave.

He emerged from the pond. "I have something to show you."

"Oh?"

He edged in closer.

"What are you—?"

In the same freeze frame motion as the shadows he neared Azula. Closer and closer until he passed through her.

The passing triggered a series of images. In a fraction of a second they sorted themselves and rolled like a movie reel.

_Xin was alive. He couldn't have been much older than Azula herself. He was defiantly in the asylum—he had the trademark robes and was situated outside the door to his room…her old room. Room 103. It was a little past lights out and he was alone in the hall._

_Footsteps._

_Heels clanking down the hall._

_Xin entered his room and made off that he had never left it._

_"Xin. Your medications." A nurse, one Azula hadn't seen around, handed him some kind of herbal remedy (contained in a ceramic bowl)._

_Xin made no effort to take the remedy._

_"It's not going to help me?"_

_"It will if you let it." The nurse replied._

_"It can't help me." Xin insisted and glanced at his shoulder. The mark was moving—swirling. And he didn't know what to make of it._

_The nurse set the medicine on his nightstand. Xin waited until she left and he could no longer hear footsteps down the hall before knocking the bowl to the floor. It shattered, leaving a gooey mess on the floor._

_Xin spent the majority of the night wrestling with his blankets. The struggle lasted until at least 3 in the morning with nothing to intervene._

_The overwhelming feeling of being watched weighed too heavy to put any real effort into sleeping. "Come on! Come and get me!" Xin finally snapped. He was tired of being afraid, tired of jumping at every bump or jolt in the night._

_Every little sound he heard had, had him doing a scan of the room, craning his neck every which way._

_He used to be rather fond of his gift._

_Of his sight._

_He loved being able to talk to his war-claimed father._

_But now it seemed more like a curse._

_The dark ones had driven the good ones…his father…out._

_And he had no way to fight them. His father mentioned seeking help from the spirit world, but how was he supposed to get there?_

_Either way around he had come to accept that this night would be his last. His father died on September 16_ _th_ _. It would only make sense that he'd come to pass on the same date._

_The door burst open. It was not his nurse. It was them. An army of them. Each sporting a face adorned with its own special horror. And forth stepped the ringleader—the spirit with the skull face._

_"Consume him. Take his soul. It is ours." The spirit hissed._

_It was over before he could blink. A spirit per limb._

_Crawling._

_Slithering._

_Coiling up his arms, his legs, and his torso._

_His chest constricted as one of them found his heart—and squeezed._

_The mark had spread to his face._

_There was a scream._

_The nurse._

_The Skull Spirit tossed her across the room._

_Xin watched himself part with his own body. But before he…his soul could escape one of the spirits latched onto it. And then another, and another. Until his own spirit was just as overtaken as the body he once owned._

_The body that lie in a heap coated in a film of shadow._

_Even when it was over, it wasn't truly so. He would find a way to bring the light back to his soul._

_He would do it by saving another from sharing his fate—not that having a companion to stalk the spirit world with him would be a bad thing._

_He could very well help claim the next soul and have himself a friend. But surely that wouldn't help bring him to the light—quite the opposite._

"You were going to try to consume me!?" Azula sputtered once she found her ability to speak.

"I decided not to." Xin shrugged.

Azula sighed. "September 16th? Of this year?"

"That's right."

"That was only a month before I was sent there."

"I know." Xin replied. "Who do you think gave Lu-Ming the idea of placing you in room 103?"


	14. Chapter 14

"Why did you show me this?" Azula asked.

"Just thought you should know." Xin answered. "About me…about how it happens."

"Azula, we're leaving." Zuko shouted.

Azula watched as Xin faded back out. She was once again face to face with her reflection. She quickly ran a hand through her hair, untangling it the best she could, and hustled back their makeshift camp.

"Where were you at?"

"Just taking a walk. Is that such a big deal?" Azula shrugged.

"It is when you're being hunted down by spirits."

Azula rubbed at the burn on her wrist. "I can take care of myself." She muttered as she gathered her belongings and tossed them on Appa.

"So can I. But you don't have to do it alone."

Azula laughed. "You really have spent too much time with uncle." She climbed onto Appa.

"We should be at the Air Temple by night fall." Aang declared.

"That is if nothing slows us down." Sokka added.

Azula snatched up Appa's reigns. "I demand a turn at flying Appa."

"You don't even know how…" Aang protested.

"Appa yip yip." Azula tired and gave the reigns a slight snap.

The bison hesitated, but took off anyhow. With a somewhat wild smile Azula urged the bison to go faster—ignoring Katara and Ty-Lee's shouts and paying no mind to how furiously Sokka and Aang gripped at the saddle. And even less attention to Chan's look of dread.

They would be at the Air Temple in no time. If only Azula knew how to get there.

"Just keep flying straight." Aang shouted over Katara and Ty-Lee.

With Azula piloting this adventure she had come to the conclusion that there was no possible way anything could go wrong. Something was finally back under her control. And for once she didn't even need to use fear to control it.

Yup, Appa was defiantly her favorite.

Azula sat on the floor cross legged. The avatar insisted that she left her comfy blanket behind. The idea wasn't too thrilling.

"In order to get into the spirit world you need to be completely calm." Aang started.

That's what they said about lightningbending. Azula seemed to do it just fine even at her most turbulent moments. If 'being calm' was all getting in to the spirit world would take, Azula figured it would be an easier task than she thought.

"Close your eyes. Try not to open them."

Azula sighed and did as she was instructed.

"Try to sit as still as possible." Aang continued. "And just focus on your chi."

Okay so sitting still was easier said than done. For the most part Azula was good at sitting still. However, the task always seemed to grow somewhat harder when she was told to do so.

It didn't really help that there was a frogfly buzzing about. Those things were always irritating. Frankly the insect wouldn't stop tickling her nose. Of course there is never just one—Azula was quite sure there was a mini-swarm of them forming.

Azula finally snapped. She opened her eyes and set the pests aflame.

"Azula!"

"You try getting into the spirit world while getting attacked by bugs." Azula shrugged.

"Maybe if you didn't put on that perfume…" Aang started.

"I refuse to smell like forest."

"Okay, let's try this again." Aang brushed off the comment.

Azula closed her eyes once more.

So far so good.

And then came Toph's shouting—something about not wanting to clean this mess. And then Katara shouting back "but you made it!"

The shouting then escalated into an all-out fight. One that Zuko thought he could mediate. Naturally he was dragged right in the middle of it.

Azula could feel her eye twitch in irritation. If this kept up she'd never be in the spirit world.

Once again her eyes snapped open. "All of you shut up!"

Four pairs of eyes set themselves upon her.

"This is not working out." Aang muttered.

"Maybe we should go somewhere quieter. And with less bugs." Azula pointed out. "And while we're at it, with comfortable seating."

"You are so difficult." Aang threw his hands up. "I never had this much trouble."

"You're an airnomad." Azula reminded him.

Aang lead Azula into the interior of the temple. "Perhaps you'll do better surrounded by other Avatars."

She glanced around at the thousands of Avatar statues. "Actually, these are pretty creepy."

It was Aang's turn to give an irritated twitch. "At least there are no more bugs and the yelling is quieter."

Azula sat back down.

She sucked in a deep breath and closed her eyes again.

At first it was just silence.

Silence and blackness.

And then out of the blackness the feeling of floating. Weightlessness.

Sublime.

She wasn't sure if she should open her eyes. With some hesitance she did.


	15. Chapter 15

Light filtered through the trees. Strange light that seemed to be rather dark—what a head scratcher.

Azula stood up and walked over to the tree…or trees. Azula really didn't know if the word should be plural as one tree seemed to grow right in and out of its companion. The tree seemed to twist around the other and then completely fuse with it near the middle. All the trees were like that.

She ran a hand over them, wondering if they were real. The bark felt as it should but upon examination was composed of billions of tiny other worldly onyx-like gems. She abruptly pulled her hand back, the jewels had left her skin sparkling where it had contacted the gems.

Azula turned her head and backed away. Only to slam into an overlarge spirit mushroom.

"Well excuse you." The pompous mushroom whined.

Every ounce of Azula wanted to either kick the thing over or set it a flame, but the flutterbat that sailed by had caught her attention. A moth and a bat all in one; pink and blue in color and with a smiling face painted white by nature onto its wings.

Another flew after it, this one brushing against Azula's exposed forearm as it passed.

Azula did her best to keep up with it, following the flutterbat into the shadowed area of the forest where the trees grew closer together. Closer and closer until even Azula couldn't squeeze her slim frame through them.

She tried anyhow—she'd managed to get her head, neck, and right shoulder through. But that was about as far as she could get.

And so the flutterbat got away.

Looking through the little gaps between the trees Azula felt a sense of being trapped…caged.

A slight breeze worked its way into the forest, prickling goosebumps over Azula's body.

She shivered slightly.

And without a second thought she retreated back into less dense part of the forest.

And then came another realization; she was trapped. The thought hadn't actually occurred to her until that moment—she hadn't seen Aang since she got here. And she had no clue how to get back to her physical body. The avatar was supposed to tell her how. Maybe that's what he'd been trying to explain before she started to tune him out…

Azula brushed a hand through her hair as she tried to think—an action that lead to her undoing her hair from its fixed position. Her initial plan was to tie use the lace that held her hair up as a way to mark this spot. She'd tie it to a tree branch.

But what was the point in that? The spirit mushroom would was enough of a landmark. So she tied it around her wrist instead, may as well save it for something important.

She tried calling to Xin.

Apparently it doesn't work like that in the Spirit World.

"Move out of the way. You are blocking the half-light." The spirit mushroom complained.

Azula's urge to kick the damn thing resurfaced. And she was about to do so before a howl-wail hybrid cut through the silence.

It seemed to come from the dense part of the forest. Azula wasn't going to stick around to find out what had emitted the noise. Without giving the spirit mushroom a second thought she dashed in the opposite direction.

And so Azula found that, again, the further she ran, the closer the trees stood together. However, going in this direction there was a way through…

If Azula was willing to go for a 'leisurely' swim.

Perhaps she'd take a few steps in Chan's shoes and just burn the whole forest down. But something told her that, that wasn't such a smart idea.

Instead the firebender took a few slow steps toward the pond. To her surprise, it looked rather clean.

Clean enough so that she could see her reflection. Which was a surprise to her for a few reasons.

One of which had her thanking the higher powers that Aang was not with her. How Azula hadn't realized that she was completely naked was beyond her. No wonder the breeze had been such a chilly bother.

Once Azula got past that, the pond revealed something that chilled her veins even more. Her entire body was a mural of black markings like the one on her wrist; down her left leg, a single large flame. On her right, what looked to be waves—circling her ankle—and a spray of water twisting up to her thigh.

Working her eye upward over her reflection revealed that her belly had been covered in a completely random slur of symbols; one being a crescent moon outlining her belly button and an obscured constellation arching off of it—scattering outward over her entire stomach.

Amid the constellation, to the right was a face like the one on the flutterbat. Only this one looked much grimmer. And to the left three horizontal lines…above those a platypusbare paw print. Azula didn't have time to point out each and every symbol infesting her belly, so she decided to follow a jagged looking mark that lead down to her waist.

Her finger traced over a bolt of lightning twisting up from her waist to her sides and probably reaching her back.

Naturally the finger doing the tracing had a mark of its own; a perfect sketch of the bone that lie beneath. The rest of her hand outlined the same way—and her other hand a perfect match. Of course, on that hand, room was left for the original marking—which now spiraled all the way up that arm. The other was splotched in random geometric patterns.

Her neck was branded with spider webs…a spider dangling off of it and covering her collar bone.

Just below, atop her right breast was a dragonwasp—it's wings spread out, tail spiraling down ward. It was breathing a small puff of fire.

And atop her left breast a large X followed by a string of letters. Letters familiar and readable to the spirits, but ugly nonsense to the woman who bore them.

Azula was hesitant to view the markings on her face.

A row of three dots starting at the outer corners of her eyes, getting smaller as they fell down her face. At her right temple more spirit letters. By the corners of her mouth two little diamonds on each side. And on her bottom eyelids two more tiny circles (of the same size and diameter).

But above all, an eye. In the middle of her forehead. An eye with an image of the Spirit World reflected in the pupil.

And suddenly diving into that pond had gained a certain appeal. Anything to wash off these horrendous markings. Anything to make her feel like less of a freak. At this point her whole body seemed to tremble.

She let herself fall into the water head first and began scrubbing furiously at the marks on her skin. It didn't come as a surprise when all she got was pink irritated skin. But she kept rubbing anyhow, until the spot began to bleed.

She let out an angry cry before slapping the water.

It was then that she realized how odd the water itself was.

She welcomed the distraction.

The water felt thick like slime and seemed to ooze and slide off her hand when she pulled it (palm up) out of the liquid. It was a shimmery white color with hints of pink and mint green when the sunlight hit it correctly.

Azula jumped out. Just what the hell was she swimming in?!

In that time Azula could only guess that the thing she was running from had utilized the time to catch up with her.

The howl-wail sounded again.

This time right next to her ear.

A thick grey smoke curled around Azula's body.


	16. Chapter 16

Azula thrashed at the smoke until her energy had drained. It became apparent that the smoke wasn't going anywhere. At least not on Azula's accord. The dark cloud was content to move after Azula stopped fighting it.

And it had moved itself into the strange pond, disappearing beneath the surface. Azula held her breath and waited. She couldn't get her feet to move.

The pond began to bubble and ripple.

It was resurfacing.

Resurfacing in human form and with an arm extended to Azula.

"I'm not going in there if that's what you want." Azula declared.

"That's up to you." It said as the last of the ooze fell away.

"Mother!" Azula backed away.

Ursa reached out again. "Please don't run again."

"You're not my mother, you're an ominous cloud of smoke." Azula pointed out.

"This is how all, or at least most of us human spirits look here."

Azula looked at her mother. "How? How am I supposed to know that you're telling me the truth?"

Ursa pulled Azula into a hug. "Because I love you."

Azula tried to push away. "But the Avatars don't appear as smoke."

"Because they—at birth—were just as much a part of the Spirit World as they were in death. And so are you."

Azula wormed her way out of her mother's embrace. "No. No, I have to leave."

"And you will." Ursa brushed Azula's hair out of her face. "After you close the bridge from This World to Yours."

"How? I was supposed to learn how to do that by coming here." Azula practically shouted. "So tell me how to do it. And while you're at it you can tell me how to get rid of these ugly marks." She found herself rubbing at her forearm again.

"I wish I knew the answers. As far as I know the markings are part of your spiritual body."

Azula wasn't too fond of that response. She really needed to find someone who knew what they were talking about. That person…spirit, wasn't her mother.

"However I do know that this is your destiny. And you will find a way to fulfill it." She paused. "It's a very important job." She placed a hand on Azula's shoulder. "You are special Azula. You always were."

"Then why didn't you love me." Azula's voice was barely a whisper.

"I did love you. More than anything."

"Anything but Zuko." Azula pouted.

"I love both of you so much Azula."

"Then help me."

"I will, to the best of my ability. And the best of my ability may only be to simply keep you company."

"I need to get through these trees." Azula pointed out.

"That, I can help you with." Ursa offered Azula a reassuring smile before taking her hand. Her body turned, once again, to smoke.

Before Azula could ask how that was going to help her tingling sensation shot up her arm, it seemed to grow weightless. A quick glance down at it, revealed that it truly had done so.

Smoke.

She was becoming the smoke.

She closed her eyes and let it happen.

She felt free.

It was exhilarating. To be honest Azula didn't think she'd ever fell such freedom again. If it wasn't the straitjackets at the asylum it was her newly found 'destiny'. Whatever this smoke state was, it seemed to allow her to just let it all go.

Azula opened her eyes—or whatever granted her sight in this form.

The world around her seemed to have a new glow. It was brighter, more vibrant. She could hear a sort of music; a flute-like melody that seemed to come from the trees. The smell of wild berries and freshly cut grass prickling her senses. She could practically feel the scents.

And upon taking a moment to take it all in, she realized she could feel the world around her. Their energies pulsing within her mind.

Azula eased herself between the wall of trees until she found herself on the other side.

"Come over to the pond." Ursa's voice simmered into her head.

They were connected.

To each other.

To each other, and all else around them.

Azula didn't want to leave this state of being.

"To the pond." Ursa repeated. "Or you won't get return to your human form."

"But I like this." Azula replied.

"And you can do it again when the time is right…when you leave your physical body for good."

Azula sifted towards the pond.

"Beneath the surface. Count to seventy and come up again."

Azula drifted down beneath the strange waves. At first she felt nothing at all. She began her counting. Slow and stedy; one…two…three…

By sixty she could feel a thumping sensation—her arm had just taken form. Her entire body had taken from, for that matter. And then came a rippling sensation beneath her skin. Sixty-eight…sixty-nine…seventy…

She pushed toward the surface. Her face reaching it first. She sucked in much need air.

Her mom reached out again. This time Azula took her hand. The woman pulled her out of the water.

"I can touch you?" She remarked before she found herself falling to the ground.

Her limbs feeling all too heavy for her body, as if someone had strapped boulders to them. She tried to roll over. The attempt was useless. Every fiber of her being felt tense and weighted.

Ursa knelt down. "Try to relax."

Azula tried her very best to scream out and inform her mother of just how hard that was, however her lips even seemed to have an added weight to them.

"This is…normal. A side effect of feeling so weightless. It'll pass." Ursa lifted Azula's limp body up and cradled it against her own.

Azula's ability to protest still not found. So she simply stared at the light filtering through the trees.

It was all too bright.


	17. Chapter 17

Azula still couldn't seem to move. She'd lost track of time.

She tried desperately to move something…anything.

She put all of her energy into trying to wiggle her pointer. Her face bunched with the effort.

That worked too. "Mother." Her whisper was horse…strained.

Ursa brushed her daughter's hair behind her ear. "Yes sweetheart?"

"How long has it been?"

"I've lost my concept of time years ago."

And so Azula sighed and went back to her thoughts. She was growing impatient, she wanted to get a move on. This destiny was a load of shit, she'd rather continue trying to pursue the throne. However, that didn't seem to be an option. At least the Firelord destiny was clear cut. This one was a murky and hard to swallow.

A sudden pang in her arm had Azula bolting up right. She cried out and grabbed her elbow. The markings on it now glowing an angry red. The pang flared up and churned into a burning sensation. One that flared up into her head.

Azula squeezed her eyes shut and fell to her knees, head pounding, uninvited tears prickled at the corners of her eyes. She quickly wiped them away.

"What is this?" She yelled at her mother.

The woman examined the glowing marks on Azula's arms and shook her head. "I've never seen anything like this."

"She's been like this for hours." Zuko motioned to his sister—still sitting cross-legged on the floor. "It's almost nightfall."

"I know." Aang nodded.

"Well then? Why isn't she waking up?"

"I…I don't think she knows how to. She didn't exactly give me a chance to explain." Aang cringed in preparation for Zuko's flaring temper.

"Can't you wake her up?" He asked.

"I tried. The spirit world is just as—well it's actually bigger than our world. I don't know where she is."

"Then how is she going to get back?" Zuko's voice was slowly rising.

"She's going to have to find a way to do it herself."

"She's…how's she supposed to eat?"

Aang didn't respond. "Just don't try to wake her up or she'll be trapped in the Spirit World forever."

"Wait, wait…so she's stuck like this?" Toph asked.

"Yes." Aang replied.

"…And she won't even notice any outside forces?"

"Well…yeah. Why?" Aang asked.

Toph shot him a devious smirk. "Hey Sokka? You still have some of that berry-made fingerpaint?"

"As a matter of fact, I do! Are you finally going help me paint Appa?"

Before Aang or Zuko could protest the earthbender was sliding down towards Sokka.

"So what do we do?" Zuko questioned.

"We just have to sit here and hope that Azula can figure it out on her own." Aang frowned.

Toph shoved her way past, bowl of berry mesh in hand. "Whoa, I didn't even start smearing the berry on her face yet…" Toph remarked.

Zuko 's head snapped in Azula's direction. "Aang, what's happening to her now?"

Azula was now slumped over, her entire body covered with strange glowing red marks. Her body swayed slightly from side to side. She opened her eyes and cocked her head to the right. "Zu-zu…" It wasn't her voice—not her voice alone with her anyways.

She heaved herself upright. Her body unbalanced.

"I thought you said she wasn't supposed to move?" Zuko hissed.

"I don't know! I was just basing it on the Avatar State." Aang confessed.

The spirits swarmed around her. Butterflies.

Loads of spirit butterflies.

Swirling around her body.

They fluttered next to her and formed the shape of a man—each individual butterfly forming a different part of his body. In one fluid motion he placed his hands on her shoulders. Azula tried to push him away but her hand went right through.

She gasped. The spirit butterfly-man seized the opportunity and to make a takeover. Each individual butterfly turned to a vaporous smoke. It drifted into her mouth. Azula stumbled backwards into a tree let out a strangled cough.

Her nails dug into the tree bark. "Mother?" She muttered.

But the woman was fending off a demon of her own…and she wasn't doing a very good job at that.

Azula's vision went fuzzy. "Zu-zu?"

The Spirit World faded in and out as an unwanted voice drawled in her head. It's command was simple; kill yourself.

And she had no choice but to obey.

She found herself nearing the pond, legs working on their own.

"Azula!" Her mother's voice was the last sound she heard before her hearing grew muffled by the water.

She had to stop. Somehow. She had to get it out of her head. Out of her body. If she was dying in the Spirit World, she could only imagine the disaster happening in the real world. Lower. The voice prompted. And she found herself sinking deeper.

Her eyes stung. Her lungs burned. She didn't have much longer.

With more effort than she had put into moving her weakened limbs, she tried to regain control of her body, tried to stop herself from sinking deeper.

Azula's efforts were useless. Gaining control of her body was just as imposable as taking control of her mind…

Her mind.

That was the key.

Every time she tried pushing the spirits out, she'd tried to take control of her movements. She had to take back her mind before she could take back her body.

And she was going to have to hurry, she didn't have much time left. She squeezed her eyes shut again and tried to think about something. Something that made her who she was. Something the spirit couldn't take from her.

She settled on a memory of Ember Island. It was a silly one; she and Zuko were just kids. She thought it would be funny to drop a shrimp crab down his trunks. She was right, it was absolutely hilarious. Whilst her mother didn't really think so, it seemed that her father shared her sense of humor.

A scratch formed at her brow.

The spirit was angry.

She was winning.

And so she picked out another memory. Her seventh birthday and then her eighth. The last thing she saw before the Spirit World went dark was a swarm of butterflies exiting her body.

Azula couldn't help it—the corner of her mouth curved up wards.

She won.

She knew how to block them out.

At least she'd die victorious.

Her body was now seizing and twitching violently. Zuko to the best of his ability caught her head before it could contact the stone floor.

"Aang, get her something to keep her from hitting her head." Zuko motioned to one of the sleeping bags folded over a rock.

"On it!" Toph answered for him. She stomped her foot; the rock jutted up sending the sleeping bag into the air. Aang guided it into place.

"Need me to do my thing?" Chan asked pridefuly.

"We don't even know if it's a spirit problem." Zuko snapped.

"Okay, okay. Sheesh." He backed off with his hands up.

Blood began to trickle from Azula's nose. Her body still jerking and jolting. Her eye lids fluttered. Minutes dragged by and then her body went limp. Her back met the pavement with a soft thud, head lolling to the side.

"Is she…" Ty-Lee muttered.

"No. No. No." Zuko shook Azula's body. "You can't just die. Azula wake up."

He received no response.

He never thought he'd ever long to hear Azula's tormenting words. But right now he wanted them more than ever—a snappy 'get off me Zu-zu' or an 'is this any way to treat a princess?'

But the girl didn't even stir.


	18. Chapter 18

Zuko let out a sigh of relief when a soft whimper escaped his sister's lips. Though she still made no indication of waking up anytime soon.

"Azula…she moved…when she was in the Spirit World. She's stuck there forever isn't she?" Zuko finally asked.

Aang didn't respond, his lips pressed into s thin straight line. His expression looking uncharacteristically grim. "I'm sorry Zuko." He turned his head. "As far as I know, you're right."

Naturally Zuko loved being right, this however was different. His sister was gone, at least to the physical world.

He spared a glance down at Azula's sleeping form. She looked so serene. So calm. The marks on her arm faded (save for the one on her wrist). She looked rather harmless—if he didn't know any better he'd say that she'd never done a person harm in her life.

Zuko brushed her hair behind her ear and sat there next to her listening to her soft breathing. He sat there like that for a considerable amount of time, fearing that if he left, her breathing would cease.

He then stood up and found himself two blankets and a pillow. He set up one blanket for himself and draped the other one of her Azula.

"So..." Mai muttered. "You're going to watch your sister sleep all night? That's a bit creepy if you ask me."

"I just want to make sure she's okay." Zuko frowned.

"Yeah, yeah. I get it." Mai said with a dismissive wave. "I guess I'll keep you company."

Azula woke up in her mother's arms. The woman was rocking her slightly and stroking her hair. Azula pushed out of her grasp—an impulsive moved that landed her on her back and in the dirt.

"It's alright sweetheart." Ursa reached out.

"I'm fine." Azula said abruptly.

"Azula, you almost died."

"I know that. You pulled me out of the water didn't you?"

"No. The other spirits wouldn't let me reach you." She paused. "He was the one to save you."

Azula followed Ursa's gaze to Xin. The boy perched himself on a log and entertained himself by drawing pictures in the dirt with a stick.

She met his gaze.

And just like that her mind went back to the fact that she had no clothing. She couldn't stop the immediate blush that spread over her cheeks. She quickly crossed her arms over her chest.

"And what took you so long?!" Azula huffed, still trying to recover.

Xin on the other hand seemed rather unfazed. "I was doing spirit stuff, human princess. You know, the usual; making little girls cry when they find me in their closet, moving peoples' belongings around, stealing cabbages from some crazy old merchant."

"And all of that was more important than me?" Azula frowned.

"Relax. I was joking…well, except for the cabbage part." Xin shrugged. "The Spirit World is vast, luv. Tracking you down was the easy part…getting to you, not so much."

"Great. Do you know what I did to the last person to show up late?"

Xin chuckled. "You can't exactly banish me, human princess."

"Apparently Chan can." Azula muttered.

"Your mother is really sweet, by the way." Xin changed the subject.

"Now that you're here," Azula returned the favor "perhaps you can show me how to get back to the Physical World."

"I actually cannot. Remember, human princess, I never made it this far when I was still alive. However I do know a spirit who can help you."

"Well, what are you waiting for? Take me to him." Azula got to her feet. She hesitated before continuing. "Are you coming…mother?"

Ursa nodded. "Of course I am."

"Lucky for us, my good friend isn't too far from here." Xin pointed out. "So…do tell me. How did you manage to block that spirit out?"

"I just thought of something else. I thought of my trip to Ember Island and my birthday."

"Ah yes…memories. The only things that are completely and truly yours. I don't know why I didn't think of doing that."

"Because you aren't as smart or talented as I." Azula declared.

"Fear not Firelady Ursa, your daughter has made a full recovery." Xin grinned. "If she can take jabs at my self-worth, she's doing just fine."

Azula thumped him on the back of the head.

That was one of the only good things about the Spirit World; here, Azula could actually make physical contact with the spirits. If only she could use her bending…

"Azula, this is my good friend, Wan."

Azula looked up at the man. He was rather charming with his with his bright gold, playful looking eyes and his long wavy black hair. His scruffy goatee wasn't half bad either. It went well with his outfit.

Why was it that Azula was the only one who didn't get clothing.

"He was the first Avatar." Xin added before Azula had a change to vocalize her complaint.

"Nice to meet you, princess Azula. Xin's mentioned you quite a bit." Wan extended his arm.

"How cute." Azula remarked sarcastically as she allowed Wan a firm handshake—keeping the other arm over her chest.

"I've been waiting to meet you for a while now. The balance has been a mess lately. The human spirits are restless and just don't want to stay put."

"I've noticed." Azula muttered.

Wan gave her a quick once-over and then looked to a little oriental house built around a tree. "We have a lot to talk about, but first, let me find you something to wear."

"That would be…ideal." Azula responded. Truth be told she had to fight an urge to jump for joy at the mention of clothing.

The kimono Wan had to offer was a rather pretty one—though Azula didn't know why the man owned such feminine attire. It was made of red silk and embroidered with golden dragons and pink lotuses. It was comfy enough.

By the time Azula had slipped into it, the others were seated around a small oak table.

"Tea?" Wan offered.

"No, thank you." Azula replied as she took a seat on the mat between her mother and Wan. "I'm curious as to how I'm supposed to get home…and how I'm supposed to close the gates."

"I would imagine you are." Wan replied. "But where to begin…"


	19. Chapter 19

"I suppose I should start with a story." Wan took a gulp of his tea. "It happened centuries ago. The deceased ones were starting to flood the Spirit World in a sense. A good number of them unruly and even more—epically those that had died tragically—unaccepting of their passing. These are the spirits that would try to worm their way back into the Physical World. For the longest time, none of them could find means to do so. However, there came a particularly nasty spirit. This spirit wasn't human, nor was he one of our own—he was something else, a demon, crafted by the dark and corrupt thoughts of man. He called himself Shade."

"And what did Shade look like?" Azula interrupted.

"I was getting to that." Wan declared. "He looked as wretched and rotten as he was on the inside. A skull for a face, with not enough flesh to contain it. Clad in dark scrappy robes…no one has seen the body that lies beneath. No one actually wants to. They say that those who encounter him gain an heir of darkness about them. And the one who bares his mark inherits great power…the one who bares his mark is the one who will be his bride." He paused and then added, "willingly or not."

Azula's stomach churned as she swallowed the lump in her throat.

"Don't fret, the markings on you, those are the marks of the Spirit Beacon. Each of the Beacons before you had at least one—you bare each of their marks, and will eventually form one of your own. When you come to pass, your mark will find its place on you successor."

Relief spread warmly through Azula's body. "When will I get my own?" Just to confirm.

"Once you close the gate." Wan answered.

The relief washed away once again. Her eyes fixed on her wrist—even through the ribbon was still tied around it, she could see the mark burning though. "Is it possible to get one before that?"

"No. Not one of your own anyways. The mark is made by closing the gate. Which is why some Spirit Beacons have more marks than one."

Azula shuddered again, a cold sense of dread working its way over her body. At this point she resorted to repeating; it's just one of the other Beacon's marks, over and over in her head.

"Anyhow," Wan started back on his story "there came a night when Shade found something strange and foreign. Through ritual and sacrifice, the humans unknowingly crated a door—much like the way they created Shade himself. This door became known as the gate." Wan let it sink it.

"Shade became the first to access the human world. And shortly after spirits, both good and evil in nature, followed in his wake. The 4th Avatar was the only thing keeping them in check. He did his best to contain them, but found that he needed assistance. So he sought out a human to lend him a hand. To the human he found, he gave the The Sight." Wan paused again.

"It was a troublesome task. You see, the 4th had to find someone with a mind capable of processing the sight. He tried kings and queens, scholars and the working class. None of which could handle the gift, their minds were too closed off. However, as a last resort, the 4th paid a trip to the asylum. He found that those not in their right state of mind had a particular openness to The Sight. In the asylum he found Sae-Yang. She became the first Beacon."

"So I'm still crazy then?" Azula frowned.

"Well…yes. But not crazy enough to hear and see things that aren't there. I can't tell you where the instability lies, but it's not as bad as you may have thought." Wan replied.

"I'm not crazy." Azula mumbled to herself as she thought back on all the people she banished.

"Anyhow, the 4th Avatar and Sae-Yang struck a deal; she would help him, if he promised to take her away from a world that had written her off. And so it was, that the Avatar would keep the spirits contained from the Physical World, and the Beacon would do so from the Spirit world." Wan took a breath. "There are two gate, one in this world and the other in yours. The Avatar in charge of one, and you, the other."

"Are you saying that I have to live in the Spirit World now?" Azula questioned.

"I am not." Wan smiled. "The 3rd Spirit Beacon longed to see her family again so the 6th Avatar created and perfected a way for her to enter a sort of pseudo Avatar state. A state that allowed her to enter the Spirit World when the time came to re-close the gate, and then return to her life when the task was complete."

"So, let me get this straight…" Azula started. "I have to work with the Avatar to do all of this?"

"Essentially yes." Wan replied.

"Why hasn't Aang ever mentioned this?"

"He is just as oblivious to this job as you were. No offense Princess, but your nation has thrown off a lot more than just the other nations. A hundred years is plenty of time for spirits to run rampant with the Avatar around. And with him missing for so long…let's just say you and Aang have a lot of work to do."

"Oh joy, I can't wait." Azula muttered.

"Xin wasn't exaggerating when he told me of your sarcasm."

"What can I say, firebending isn't the only thing I'm good at."

"I'll say." Xin cut in.

"So, why don't you take me to this gate so I can close it and be done with this?"

"It's not that easy." Wan replied.

Azula walked over to Wan's front door, opened it, and closed it once more. "See. Effortless." Azula remarked.

Xin burst out laughing. "If I wasn't dead already, she'd be killing me." He turned to Ursa. "So did she get her sense of humor from you?"

"Unfortunately not." Ursa sighed.

"Princess Azula." Wan drew her attention back. "Not only do you have to close the gate, but you have to guide the spirits back here. And Shade defiantly won't give you an easy time. He plans on over taking the Physical world. You and your team have to learn to fight him. And, the gate in the Physical World must be closed at the exact same time as the one here."

Azula groaned. This job was becoming an even bigger burden than she initially thought. "What team?"

"The by the 8th Spirit Beacon's request, she acquired a team—a banisher and a listener." Wan answered. "She split some of her power with two people of her choosing"

"Why is it that all the other Beacons seemed to know exactly what they were doing…and I don't?"

"You can thank your Father's father's father for that one. Back when the previous Avatar was around, we had the current Beacon seek out a successor. And once that successor was found, the current Beacon would teach him or her everything he or she needed to know." Wan explained.

"You see, when the Avatar disappeared, so did the Beacon. He was an airbender just like the Avatar. Though he didn't make it out alive. His power dispersed into the air and found its own master. And because that new Beacon didn't know or his or her power, he or she couldn't pass it down so the cycle repeated. Since that moment—up until now—we hadn't been able to track the Spirit Beacon down. Eventually, your kind was completely forgotten, save for folklore."

When Azula made no comment he continued.

"You will be restoring the balance in more than one way." Wan finished. "Just by being here now, you've completed something very important."

"You're welcome." Xin called from across the table.

"Great. What am I supposed to do now?" Azula inquired.

"Go tell the Avatar to talk to Wan. Let your team know what they are in for." Wan answered.

"Sure thing, after you tell me how to get out of here."

"It's actually really simple. All you have to do is sit down and focus on returning to your body."


	20. Chapter 20

Azula stirred, rolling from her back to her stomach. A motion Zuko detected right away. He couldn't bring himself to sleep. Despite everything she'd ever done to him, he couldn't stop worrying about his little sister.

Mai was sound asleep next to him, and Ty-Lee next to her. A glance across the temple revealed that Aang was still awake—that or he found a way to sleep sitting up.

Maybe he should go talk to Aang, keep his mind busy…

"Zu-Zu?"

His head snapped in her direction. She blinked thrice and rubbed her eyes.

"How long was I in there?" Azula muttered and rubbed the back of her head.

"A while." Zuko replied.

"Days?"

"Hours. Almost a day."

"Is the Avatar awake?"

Zuko glanced back at Aang. "I think…why?"

"I have to tell him something."

"Can it wait 'til morning?"

"No. It can't."

"Azula, it's late." Zuko replied. "You need to get some sleep."

"Seems like I got plenty." Azula shrugged.

"It's alright." Aang remarked. "I'll listen to what she has to say. But we'll go somewhere else and let you sleep."

Azula grabbed her blanket, wrapped it around herself, got up, and followed Aang.

"So, what do you have to tell me?" He asked when they were out of earshot.

"I talked to a man named Wan, he said he was the first Avatar. He told me…well, he told me a lot of things." Azula started. "One of those things he told me, was to tell you to go into the Spirit World and talk to him."

"Right now?" Aang asked.

Azula shrugged. And with a yawn, replied. "The sooner the better, I would imagine."

"I guess I'll get to it then." Aang replied.

"And I suppose I should go back by my brother." Azula sighed. "Before he throws one of his tantrums."

"He's been worried about you, you know? He's been your side this whole time."

Azula's expression softened. She quickly looked in the other direction and gave a snappy "Good for him." She began walking away.

"What does Wan want to talk to me about?" Aang changed the subject.

She came to a stop and turned to Aang. "You have another job Avatar."

"Another job?"

"Wan will explain it."

"Can you at least give me an idea of what I'm in for?"

"Goodnight, Avatar." Azula answered dismissively. With that she continued her stride over to her pillow.

She lie down and pulled the blanket over her body. It was all too small. She once again found herself longing for her bed back at home…and at this point, possibly even her bed at the asylum. At least it was a bed.

She lie awake staring at the stars through the broken roof of the temple.

"Are you okay Azula?"

"I'm fine Zu-Zu." Azula replied. "Just trying to get some sleep…like you said."

"They're coming!" Ta-Yoon yelled. "I can hear them. A lot of them." She was panting as she charged up to the fire siblings.

"Who's coming?" Mai awoke from her sleep.

"They're human. But they have the aura of spirits. Dark spirits."

"Well what other kind of spirits would come for us?" Azula rolled her eyes. "Besides Xin, I haven't encountered one 'good' spirit."

"You talked to our mother." Zuko reminded.

"I said good." Azula shrugged.

"I hate to break it to you guys," Mai interrupted "but I don't think now is a good time to have a family squabble."

"It's Lu-Ming…" Chan stated, mouth agape.

"But he's not a Spirit." Zuko frowned.

"Yeah, but he's possessed." Azula pointed out.

"What do you want from us?" Ta-Yoon asked.

Lu-Ming edged closer. With every step closer that he took, the mark on Azula's wrist seemed to flare more and more intensely.

"I came to end the cycle of Beacons, and claim my wife."


	21. Chapter 21

A bead of sweat made its way down Azula's forehead.

"You're wife?" Toph laughed.

Shade paid her no mind and with a sweeping arm motion, flung her against the wall on the other side of the room.

"His wife? What's he talking about Azula?" Zuko frowned.

"He…Wan said something about Shade needing a bride. He didn't say why. But…"

"Who is Shade?"

"The Spirit possessing Lu-Ming." Azula nodded in his direction.

"So, who's the lucky lady?" Mai asked.

"I…I think I am." Azula swallowed the lump in her throat.

"What would make you say that?" Zuko questioned.

Azula pushed back her sleeve to reveal the mark. A mark that burned a furious red color.

"Shall I get the Avatar?" The spirit within Shou asked.

"Yes. Capture the boy and be rid of him." Shade hissed.

At that, Katara was on her feet. "Toph, Sokka, and I will protect Aang. The rest of you can protect Azula." She ordered.

"Azula can protect herself." Azula muttered to herself.

"What was that." Chan asked.

"Nothing." Azula rolled her eyes. "Just do your banishing thing already."

"Wait." Shade demanded firmly. "Hear me out little Spirit Beacon." He lifted his hands in a submissive manner.

"You kidding!? Take him down!" Sokka shouted.

"Listen to me Spirit Beacon." Shade repeated. He projected himself closer. "You and I. We aren't that different." He was now next to Azula, close enough to make her skin crawl. "We both want power. You and I, we can take the world together. Rule it together. Reshape it to our desire."

"I want nothing from you." Azula muttered.

"You have a choice; you can accept my hand willingly and re-shape the world with me. Or…I can make you." At the threat escaped his lips the mark coiled around her arm.

"Allow me to demonstrate." He smirked. "Set your brother on fire."

"You don't have to demand her to do that." Zuko murmured under his breath.

Azula found herself lifting her arm. "I don't actually want to hurt you Zu-Zu. Not now anyways." The deep blue flames made their way off her fingertips.

Zuko dodged the blast.

She sent another in his direction. And another.

This time Zuko barely got out of the way.

"That's enough, Beacon." Shade released his control.

"Why do you want me to help you 're-shape' the world?" Azula panted.

"Because with your help I know I won't have to worry about a pesky Spirit Beacon interfering or tarring apart my hard work." He paused "And, I know you have it in you. I've been watching you for a long time, since you were born. I know you want the Fire Nation crown. With me, you can have it. You can have it and more."

"With my power, you can have complete control…"

The notion was enticing. Azula thought of Mai and Ty-Lee—how fun it would be to show them what control…what fear really looked like. She thought of Zuko—how great it would be to be able to overpower him again (not that she couldn't). And she thought of Aang and Katara—to avenge herself and take back the Earth Kingdom in honor of her father.

Azula looked around; Sokka brandishing his boomerang, Katara readying her water, Toph balancing a boulder above her head. In the other direction; Zuko ready with fire, Mai with her weapons, and Ty-Lee…well she looked ready to chi block someone.

She'd done so much to them, and yet they were all ready to help her out.

But they could very well turn on her at any minute…

"You say you've been watching me. If that's true, you would know that I'm pretty good at manipulating people." Azula remarked. "And I know when I'm being manipulated."

"Perhaps you don't know as much as you think." Shade inquired. "As I said, you don't have much of a choice..."

"I wasn't finished." Azula cut in. "I know when I'm being manipulated. Your offer seemed sincere enough. I mean, what could you possibly gain by giving me your power? You said it yourself, you can make me doing your bidding."

Shade's smirk widened.

"I'd be more than happy to accept power…if I get to help decide how we shape the world."

Katara let out a gasp.

"Azula! What are you doing!?" Zuko yelled. "I thought you changed."

"Oh please, Zu-Zu. You know I'd never miss a chance for power."

"It's a deal Beacon." Shade leaned in closer again. This time his words projected into her head. "We will destroy the door to the gate, leaving it open forever. We will unleash every spirit into this world, until all of humankind is consumed."

He took Azula's hand and led her away from the group. "The age of Spirits begins now."

"Surrender humans, and this will be painless. Continue to fight, and you will pay steeply." He threatened.

"As for you." He cupped Azula's chin in his hand. "Once our vows are said, one we are a good and happy family, our powers will merge and we will tare down the gates."

"I look forward to it." Azula grinned. Her eyes cut menacingly into Zuko's.

"What the hell are you thinking." Xin's voice invaded her thoughts. "I thought you were fighting against being consumed."

She brushed him off. He could wait…for now.

"You should have just let me be the Fire Lord Zu-Zu."


	22. Chapter 22

She never seen Zuko look as hurt, as betrayed, as he did in that moment. And she'd been lying to and betraying him since they were young.

"See Zuko, I told you this was a bad idea." Mai scowled. "You should have just let the spirits…get rid of her."

"I was really hoping that we could start over." Ty-Lee frowned.

"Man, I thought I was gonna be a part of some crazy kick ass team." Chan remarked. "Figures, the one I get has the evil leader."

"Pay them no mind, luv. Soon they will all be yours to control. I'll even let you choose which spirits will consume each of them." Shade offered.

Azula shot a final glance back. The sight hurt. She somehow earned their trust…their help. Now the artillery used to save her, was pointed in her direction. She just wondered who'd take the first shot. Azula longed to take it back and rejoin them…but she need it…

She needed the power.

Power is the only way…

"Can Xin come along?" Azula asked.

"You want me to help you take over the world?" Xin laughed. "You're on your own this time. You choose Shade over me."

She felt another jab of mental pain.

"Besides, I have to let Wan know that it finally happened. We finally have an evil Beacon."

"Go on then, tell the first that we have an evil Beacon." Shade sneered. "He's powerless to stop us." H grabbed Azula's hand rather roughly and led her off.

"Where are we going?" Azula questioned. Panic was now bubbling up in her chest as the full weight of the situation began to set in.

"To the gate." Was his reply. "Shou, have you taken care of the Avatar?"

"I couldn't find him." She answered monotonously.

Shade gave the woman a swift slap. "You foolish woman, even a hundred spirits couldn't set your mind right…make yourself useful and ready the airship. We're going to the Forgetful Valley."

Azula didn't talk much on the way there. She didn't have much to say. Shade was a monster, and his human form—as Lu-Ming—only served to remind her that she was too. Frankly Azula didn't know if it would be worse to say her vows to the face of Lu, or to Shade's true, rotting one.

Shou landed the airship where Shade instructed.

"Follow me." He motioned to Azula. A slight hesitation was all it took for Shade to grow impatient and give her a forceful shove out of the ship. "If we're going to do this, you're going to have to stop being so stubborn, luv.

Azula nodded and followed him to the gate. It was a large stone, moss-claimed arch. Attached to it was a door, symbols of all sorts etched into it. It was wide open, revealing a swirling grey and blue smoke.

"Ladies first." Shade motioned Azula forward.

She looked to Shou.

"Don't look at her, she's possessed by a male spirit." Shade grinned. "And I said, ladies first."

Azula wasn't one to make the same mistake twice, she hustled past Shade and strode into the portal.

She woke up laying on her back, staring at a familiar face. "Mother…"

The woman simply turned her head.

Disappointment.

Azula should be used to it. She always was a disappointment to the woman. So why did it have to start bothering her now?

Ursa turned to smoke and rushed away. Shade, was quick to fill her place.

"Where's Shou?" Azula asked.

"Don't worry about her, luv. We're going to be late to our own wedding, if we don't hurry." He lead her through thick thorny bushels. The spirit trees, those beautiful spirit trees grew more and more dark and decayed as they moved closer to their destination. After a certain time, Azula found herself having to duck under branches that jutted out like spikes.

She followed Shade through a wall of thorny briars. Briars that wore hundreds of tiny, glittering, red eyes.

"Crawl through, and then we're there." Shade instructed.

Azula looked at the small opening. To her dismay she actually would have to get on her hands and knees and crawl through.

"Go on, I'm right behind you."

"Reassuring." Azula mustered up some sarcasm. For all she knew, she'd never get to utter another sassy word. With that she tied up her hair—the last thing she needed was for it to get caught on one of the thorns—and ducked under the creepy thickets.

About half way through something wet and sticky glide over the back of her neck. She shuddered and looked up. To go with the eyes were dozens of tongues.

Azula's face bunched up as she swatted the thing off her.

Everything about this place was unsettling.

When she arrived on the other side she came upon a small crumbling village. Everything looked abandoned and over-run by the plant life.

"Welcome home. This is what they left for us dark spirits." Shade announced.

Azula looked overhead. There, loomed the tallest building; the ruins of a castle, windows smashed out, crawling with shadows, and gutted of most furniture. There was however a room full of chairs, used candles, a clock with odd symbols, and dead flowers of a dark red hue.

Flowers that adorned a broken alter.

"That's where we get to say our vows. Pretty, isn't it luv."

"Just beautiful." Azula lied.

The clock struck little skull symbol. Azula allowed herself a bitter inward laugh at that notion. Right on the mark, spirits started crawling in, or floating up from the cracks in the ground.

"Say hello to our guests luv."

All the spirits seemed to stare. Azula managed a slight wave.

"This is my dear wife." Shade announced. "I swear, she was talking a minute ago. I guess she's shy around crowds." He put his arm around her. "Imagine that. A princess who doesn't do well with public speaking."

Azula clenched her teeth.

The spirits simply gazed up with dead, glassy, orby eyes. They were less responsive than she.

"You really know how to work a crowd don't you?" Azula muttered.

Shade chuckled. "See, I told you she talks." He beamed at the crowd. "Now what do you say we get this charming little ceremony started?"

"I don't even get to pick out a dress?" Azula stalled.

"I already have one picked for you." Shade snapped his fingers.

The silk gown was ridiculously long, scarlet in color with a black lacey cover. It was form fitting and designed with two large velvet roses at the top right. And of course Shade had to go all out, form fitting wasn't good enough; constricting her waist was an intricate black corset adorned with hundreds of tiny shimmering black gems.

Naturally the outfit was topped off with a matching black veil that fell over her face and hung just below her chin. It was rather itchy and uncomfortable.

Another wave of his hands had her hair curled and fancied with rubies. It was tied in a loose, elegant bun, her trademark bangs (also slightly wavy) dangling in front of her eyes.

She looked to the floor.

"Oh don't look so forlorned." Shade sighed dramatically. "I assure you, you look stunning." He took Azula's hand and led her down the aisle.

The creature standing at the alter was by far the creepiest thing in the room, next to Shade of course. It was a shadowy figure much like the ones Azula had met on her first night in the forest. Only this one was tall and slender with twiggy limbs and a jagged glowing grin. A grin that seemed unfading.

So this was the spirit that would have them married.

"For many eternities our kind has waited." Its voice was rather high pitched, but masculine all at once. "We have waited for a Spirit Beacon to be on our side. It the time has finally come. Our king, Shade—Lord of Shadow—will claim his wife."

His big orb eyes scanned the room and then he turned to Shade. "You have waited longer than any of us for this. So to you I pose a question; do you accept the Beacon's hand in marriage?"

"Yes, I accept her hand." Shade answered.

"And you, Beacon…do you accept his hand in marriage?"

Azula felt sick. "Yes, I accept his hand."

Shade dug his nails into Azula's wrist—directly over the mark, drawing a surprised yelp. She watched her blood seep downward in four vertical streams.

The grinning spirit stepped forward and placed his hands over each of their hearts—or, in Shade's case, lack thereof. "Let your souls be bound and your powers merge."

Azula found her blood tracing the marking, dying the black a grim scarlet. Once again the other markings on her body pulsed and stung. And then came a choking sensation, air seemed to stop filling her lungs…heart seemed to stop beating. And then came the despair, the sadness, the loneliness, guilt, anger.

Every overwhelming feeling.

Everything she regretted.

It all seemed to hit her at once.

A heavy cloud of darkness. It was suffocating her.

This must be it…

Punishment.

For making such a huge mistake.

This wasn't part of her plan. Not at all. She was supposed to gain Shade's power. She was supposed to make it through this. Supposed to use his powers to take him down. Supposed to use his powers to shut the gate.

Azula's vision went fuzzy. All sounds and voices became static…

Just white noise in the background.

Her legs gave out, sending her toppling to the floor.

And for whatever reason her mind seemed to only muster up one single thought; I hope I didn't ruin my hair.

What a strange and useless last thought.

She woke up laying on fine silk. For a second Azula thought she was back at home, waiting for her father to call her to come eat breakfast. She longed for it to be true. Longed to just go back to being Azula, Princess of the Fire Nation…not some crazy Spirit Beacon.

"Good evening luv."

Azula turned her head to the left, not bothering to lift it from her pillow.

Laying right next to her was the skull-faced spirit that plagued her nightmares. The sight was unexpected enough to have her scrambling gracelessly off the bed and to the floor. The marble tiling not exactly kind to her rear.

"We are going to have a bit of a problem if you can't get used to seeing me in my true form, aren't we luv?"

"What the hell did you do to me?" Azula seethed.

"Your body didn't take well to my dark energy." Shade declared. "I don't know how that could be, since you so willingly accepted my invitation into the dark."

A bead of sweat formed at her brow. Would this be how he found out that she was playing him?

"Well maybe your spirit friend did it wrong." Azula spat.

"Nonsense." Shade sat up. "I must have misjudged how much power a simple human girl could handle…Beacon or not."

"So…does this mean that I. That I don't have any more power, and I married you for nothing?"

Shade let out a dark laugh. "Power, power, power. It hurts me deeply to think that's all you married me for." He paused. "Of course you have my power…you also have my soul. And I yours."

The sickly feeling returned. Azula found herself glad that she didn't stand back up after her tumble, or she'd have just fallen again. "Your soul?"

"Yes, luv. My soul. Our souls are intertwined. Good thing our souls are both dark and tainted, otherwise they'd try to overpower each other."

"And what would happen if that were the case?"

"Well luv, that would mean our souls could unbind from each other. We'd have to fight to the death, or in my case fight until I fade. Which is essentially what we'd be doing anyhow if you didn't accept my offer. And you would have lost in case there is any doubt." He paused. "You'd still lose. Even with my powers."

Azula took a moment to work up her old, calm, façade. "You act as if you think I'm going to try."

"Of course I don't think you're going to try. None of the other Beacons were actually fool enough to try to defeat me once and for all." He snorted. "They simply found ways to contain me long enough to close the gate."

"Good to know." Azula got to her feet. Her head spun at the sudden motion.

"Lay back down luv."

"I don't need to. I'm fine."

"Suit yourself, the bed is cozy."

"You mean you're not going to make me?" Azula muttered.

"I'm not going to make you do anything. As I said, if you accepted my hand, I wouldn't have to."

His words were certainly reassuring. But Azula couldn't help but to feel skeptical. What could he gain by letting her wander free.

"So you wouldn't mind me going for a little walk?"

"Go right on ahead." Shade waved her off. "I wouldn't stray too far from our quaint, thorny sanctum. The light spirits don't take kindly to us wandering onto their territory. Of course it isn't a problem for me, I could best them all. You luv, can take down maybe two or three at best in your current state."

"In fact you probably wouldn't even be able to survive the light." Shade added. "Most dark spirits only last a few minutes…precisely why I chose to place this sanctum where I did—so my fellow dark spirits could make it to the gate."

Each answer she was given seemed to spark more questions. "Why can't we survive in the light, dare I ask?"

"The answer is simple luv…your dark soul simply can't handle the light. Believe it or not, light conquers dark…most of the time. You're heart has to be light in order to take light in."


	23. Chapter 23

Azula would be lying if she said her legs weren't trembling as she neared the briars.

She wasn't all that thrilled to see a thousand eyes feasting upon her…or a thousand tongues for that matter. Moreover, the possibility that Shade was right about the light reflecting her terrified her.

Azula ducked her head under the first line of jutting thorns. A sense of dread overwhelmed her. The hoard of eyes were now closed. That was a rather welcomed change. The tongues however, were still thrashing about, rapid fire.

She could soon see tiny rays of light filtering through the opening. The fluttering arose in her stomach as it's warmth kissed her cheek. What if it didn't accept her? She crawled closer despite the risks. Dying at the hands of the light had to be better than at the hands of Shade.

Azula emerged from the distorted thickets. The sun glaring in her eyes. It was almost too much. Her head spun. She could always retreat back into the dark…

The familiar dark…

Azula took two staggered steps forward.

The forest seemed to lurch and swirl. The faces etched into those strange trees now wore a distinct frown as if objecting to her presence.

"Xin." Azula took two more steps forward feeling dizzy and nauseous. She stumbled towards the tree and leaned against it for support.

She instantly flinched away, the tree had sent a wave of unease and despair into her head, feelings that manifested themselves into a physical stabbing pain that jolted through her entire body.

Rejection.

The jabs continued to tingle through her body.

Azula slowly lowered her body to the ground and waited for the pain to ease up.

Contrary to her hopes, the grass seemed to have the same effect as the trees, sending pain prodding over her body.

Azula jumped to her feet. The quicker she found Wan, the quicker the pain would come to a stop.

Azula did her best to follow the path Xin had lead her down the last time she was here. Aside from the persistent physical agony the task was fairly easy.

She pounded on his door.

No answer seemed to come, so Azula turned to leave. It was then that she heard a soft pop. The door slid open.

Wan's brows furrowed. Azula couldn't be sure if he was happy to see her or not.

"Make it stop." Azula hissed. "The pain. Make it stop."

He gave her a quick once over and grabbed her wrist. It was still scarlet red and the three puncture marks from where Shade clawed her were still very much present. "Beacon…what did you get yourself into? Xin said he had some grim news for me…"

"I…I married Shade." Azula burst.

"You what?!"

"I married Shade. I thought that if I got some of his power I could take him down easier. I didn't think that our souls would…am I really part of the darkness now?"

Wan placed his hand on her pounding forehead. Slowly the pain seemed to ebb away.

"You're only one of the dark if that's where your heart truly lies. Despite what you think, Beacon, you're not a bad person. Fate wouldn't allow such a gift to fall in the hands of someone who'd abuse it." He led her inside. "However, Shad isn't going to take this lightly at all. You have a lot of preparing to do and only a week to do so."

Azula sat down on a nearby cushion.

"What are you doing back here? Change your mind already? Find out your husband was abusive?" Xin shot her a nasty scowl.

The kind that would have scared her, a week or so back.

"I was never on his side you know…"

"Save it." Xin clenched his teeth.

"I went with him because I thought it was the right thing to do. It sounded good at the time…better than letting him force me to attack the people who have been trying to help me." Azula continued despite his wishes.

The ghost boy simply turned his back on her.

"Xin, you're being a bigger pain in the ass than I am!"

That earned her a snicker—despite Xin's attempts to hide it.

"Xin, I didn't betray you. Or anyone."

"That's a lie." Xin shrugged.

Azula slammed her fist on the table.

"You're betraying Shade right now." He raised an eyebrow.

"I hate you."

"Also a lie."

"Perhaps..."

"If you don't mind me cutting in." Wan spoke. "I have a plan in mind. I have told the Avatar of his task. He will be ready to close the gate from the outside when you give him the go ahead." He looked to Azula. "His cue to pay attention will be the fall of Shade. If my theories are correct, after you defeat Shade all of his powers will go to you—you'll have full control. With that full control you can command the spirits back into the gates. Once the last spirit has entered the gate, and then you and Aang will simultaneously close it."

Azula nodded.

"As reckless and stupid as your move was…it was smart and played out well." Wan remarked. "I expected nothing less from the fire princess."

"So, human princess…" Xin started. It was then that she realized just how much she missed his stupid pet name. "Whenever you're ready, Wan and I will start training you to fight Shade."

"I'm ready now."

"Assemble your team, bring them into the Spirit World." Wan instructed.

"Yeah…that would be a good place to start." Azula shrugged. "How do I do that?"


	24. Chapter 24

Shade kicked over his nightstand. He had let that silly Beacon trick him.

It was a reckless move on her behalf. And he wouldn't be surprised if she tried to best him using his own powers against him…

In fact, he was counting on her to do just that.

He would beat the Spirit Beacon and end the cycle once and for all. And he would do it tonight…

During the blood moon.

Azula took a seat next to Xin. She could only hope that Aang was preparing himself for a fight with Shade's army of the possessed.

Ta-Yoon and Chan weren't exactly psyched up for it. Not in the slightest, Azula couldn't say she was either. Despite the fact that Wan and Xin seemed to be pretty confident in her abilities. Her mother had tried to be reassuring as well—claiming that she knew Azula would be able to catch on and master the skills quickly.

But Azula still had her doubts.

While yes all of it was true; Azula is powerful, and is a prodigy, and—no surprise—had caught on quickly. But the firebender had grown rather used to things not going as she wanted them to.

Perhaps after she defeated Shade…if she could defeat him, things would go back to how they were before the comet; Azula sleeping in her nice warm bed, getting pampered by servants, actually having a nice place to stay.

Azula really missed all of that. But now wasn't the time for self-pity nor for reminiscing about the past. Shade was coming and she had to be ready.

Wan was rather thrilled about Azula attaining Shade's powers. At first the man kept talking about how reckless it was and how he was certain that she went to the dark side. However, as the training proceeded the first Avatar began to praise her for making fighting Shade that much easier.

He claimed that his initial plan was to just have Azula trick the demon back into the Spirit World like all the other Beacons had. But defeating the creature once and for all was much better.

Azula may not have her firebending to fend him off—and she would defiantly miss using it during combat—but the power Shade had to offer was a good weapon too.

Wan hadn't much knowlage of how to use Shade's powers, so he and Azula kind of just experimented together and if something seemed to work they'd make note of it and work on it later until it was perfected.

After about an hour or two, the pair had a pretty wide variety of new combat techniques that Azula would play through over and over until the two agreed that the move was mastered sufficiently…that she could do it graceful and fluidly enough.

And then the first would leave Azula to her own accord—to take a break or continue practicing, whichever she felt—to go teach Chan and Ta-Yoon of their skills.

Azula had listened in on a bit of it; Chan's job was mostly about just focusing and will power. He'd be in for a battle of will, the more stubborn, the more forceful would come out on top. That would have been a great job for Azula—she'd have the spirits banished faster than the Di Lee agents!

Ta-Yoon's job was even simpler. She was pretty much a negotiator. She'd be the one to convince the dark spirits to see the light and go into the Spirit World. And when they agreed—she'd be the one to guide them into the light.

Azula turned back to her own work. Of course she had the hardest job. Nothing new there.

At this point Chan and Ta-Yoon had left for the Physical World. Aang was going to need his banisher.

Azula stood alone in front of a mirror, trying her best to tie up her hair. The last thing she wanted was for Shade to grip it in battle or for it to get in her face.

With a load of reluctance she picked up a pair of scissors. She thought back to the day of Sozin's comet when she'd first taken a pair of scissors to her hair. What a shame, it had just grown back to the way it was too. But she couldn't have any distractions. At least this time she would cut her hair cleanly and evenly.

Ursa offered to do it for her, so Azula handed her mother the scissors and watched as her hair fell to the floor in dark locks. She refused to look in the mirror until her mother was finished.

Ursa had left Azula's bangs untouched, however the rest of it was cut just above her chin.

Azula didn't dwell on it much, without a word she slipped into her armor.

"Your hair looks nice." Xin pointed out.

"I suppose." Azula replied as she adjusted the armor to a more correct fit.

"Fix what I screwed up, okay?" Xin drawled.

"Sure Xin. But it wasn't you who messed up. As Wan said, the Beacon cycle was broken when the Sozin's comet came through." Azula sighed.

"Yeah, but I could have figured out my job sooner…before I, ya know, died."

"Yeah, that's true." Azula made a waving gesture.

"Hey!"

"You said it, not me." Azula shrugged.

"You ready Human Princess? To give Shade an ass-kicking?"

"As I'll ever be, I suppose." Azula mused. Truth be told her stomach twisted in knots at the thought. Anticipation coursed through her body—no matter how things turned out, it all ended tonight.

Aang could see them approaching. They moved in a slow, odd, bobbing way along the horizon. Hollow shelled silhouettes against a red sunset.

Hanging in the east was the largest moon the avatar had ever laid his eyes on. It was an ugly unsettling crimson and chilled his bones and blood right to the core.

Katara stood next to him, her breathing ragged with fear. Clutching her protectively was Sokka. Aang could hear him mutter something about not letting anything else happen to his beautiful little sister.

Zuko's eyes were fixed on the incoming army. Angry. Determined.

Aang hadn't a chance to tell him that his sister didn't screw them over. As far as the Prince knew, Aang was putting up a fight just to prove that he…they all would go down with honor and dignity. The young man didn't know that they'd still be able to close the gate.

Aang felt a world of guilt for not having the time to let Zuko know that his faith in Azula was not wasted.

But as the possessed drew closer his time for words fell away.

Mai gripped Zuko's arms as he stood transfixed by the approaching army.

"Ready Ta-Yoon?" Aang asked.

Ta-Yoon looked down at Toph—the earthbender was more than ready to start chucking boulders in Ta-Yoon's defense. She nodded.

"And you Chan?"

"Long as Ty-Lee can chi-block for me." Chan wasn't the brightest, but his plan was rather brilliant. After Wan had told him that the possessed had a tendency to lash out when being exorcised, Chan got thinking of how he could prevent such. Ty-Lee was perfect for the job.

"We just have to fend them off until the Spirits head for the gate on their own." Aang called. "When they start heading for the gate, Ta-Yoon, you do your guiding thing. Until they go willingly you and Chan work on banishing and persuading…"

"Why would they start going back willingly?" Zuko questioned skeptically.

"I'll explain it after this is all done with. For now just focus on keeping me covered long enough to close the gate."

The sky burned a searing red. The clouds a black swirling haze.

Azula stood motionlessly in a barren, dead, Spirit World desert. It like just before the eye-filled wall of thorns. The silhouettes of the broken structures within, rested menacingly…hideously on the skyline.

And Azula waited. Growing more and more anxious with each passing minute.

A slight breeze picked up what remained of her hair. She shivered impulsively against the sudden chill. A dead chill.

The kind of chill that seemed to linger around Shade.

The demon emerged in a cloud of putrid, rotten smelling black smoke.

His skull face as grotesque as ever…perhaps even more so now that his hostile eyes were fixed on her, shining with a sort of bloodlustful gleam.

"You've made a mistake Beacon. A big mistake." Shade hissed. "Don't you know, you can't overcome a demon with his own powers. All you had to do was be a good wife. A faithful wife, and you could have had everything."

"I already do have everything I want. It's all waiting for me back in the palace." Azula said nonchalantly. "The only thing I have left to desire, is the end of your existence. She added a shrug.

"Shall we, luv?" Shade hissed.

"Whenever you're ready."

Each gave a slight bow displaying what little respect they had for each other as opponents.

Azula had always been quick. But Shade gave the word new depths. He had the first strike; he sent Azula's own shadow snaking up her calf. It seemed to burn her leg as it flowed upward.

Giving her wrist a flick she shook the shadow off and back into its genuine state. She returned fire by slamming her foot down on the ground. Azula was certainly never an earthbender, but watching the ground break under her foot was exhilarating. Red flames jutted out from the crack she'd opened.

This was definitely more like it! Azula would enjoy having all of Shade's powers. She drew the flames up and blasted them in his direction.

Shade ducked under them and sent a rain of a tar-like substance down on her. The black clouds all seemed to gather—catering to Shade's will. And then they spilled over with a strange black ooze both doused the flames Azula created and put her at a standstill.

The stuff was hot and sticky. Maybe it was tar?

No matter what it was Azula was certainly thanking herself for the haircut now. She did her best to get the stuff off of her. Easier thought than executed.

Shade took that time to claw her belly.

Azula winced as his sharp skeletal nails slashed just above her navel.

The demon made no hesitation in utilizing her blood for his gain.

As a waterbender would marshal sea water, he began whipping at Azula's face.

Azula didn't even have time to ask herself what kind of twisted bloodbending that was. She felt her body growing weak and numb. She had to stop the bleeding…and Shade from smacking her around.

Azula opened another crack in the ground, this one right above Shade, and watched as the flames washed over him. He gave sharp growl as he trashed at the flames.

She found herself a nice large bolder to hide behind as she contemplated her next course of action. She and Wan had clearly mastered the earth and fire technique. But it wasn't going to do her much good now.

She and Wan also knew that she could utilize the shadows, but she knew nothing of this bloodbending form.

And the rain of tar was growing all too distracting. At least the bolder was taking most of it for her…

And then it came to her; the tar. She would use the tar to stop the bleeding. Azula willed it over to herself—mimicking a waterbending from she'd seen Katara use many times. It felt disgusting as she filled in the injury with it. She summoned up the flames again and bought them close enough to weld the tar in place.

Trying to suppress a scream didn't exactly work when the tar scorched her skin. At this point her entire midriff was scorched and screaming in pain…but at least the bleeding out was no longer an issue. Azula sat there clutching her stomach for a moment, trying to ease away the pain.

Shade kicked the bolder to the side. "It would seem that you are adapt at causing yourself more pain than I ever could, luv."

Azula jumped to her feet—stomach screaming in protest.

"You know, red flames are so…miniscule." Shade mused aloud. "Allow me to show you, what real damage is." He moved his hands in a spiraling motion.

Beneath Azula formed a portal…a dark swirling vortex that seemed to radiate fear, despair, and helplessness. She could hear the cries of those lost previously to the void. They screamed and shrieked more intensely than any of the voices she ever heard in the asylum.

She'd never been this close to them before.

And if she didn't stop it soon, she'd be stuck with them and their terror-filled screams in that hellish place.

Azula tried to pull herself out, but the vortex was akin to quicksand and she was sinking fast. The tar rain certainly didn't aid in her attempts to pry herself out.

Azula still had the use of her hands, she once again split the ground—this time outlining the vortex. Azula didn't quite know what she was going for, but she let the red flames wash over the portal. Much like the tar on her belly, it hardened.

Okay, so she'd stopped the sinking—earning a snarl from Shade—but she was now trapped within solid rocky matter…the scream still emitting from below, but quitter…muffled. And Shade was coming right at her again.

This time there would be no mercy. The demon fashioned himself a scythe, made out of his own skeletal arm. And he was going for her head.

Azula split the solidified tar. Quickly, in one fluid motion she thrust herself out of the crack and using the red flames propelled herself out of Shade's reach.

Truth be told, Azula had mastered only one technique to perfection. But that seemed to be all she needed. She searched her brain, trying to come up with a way to use it to take Shade down once and for all.

As she dodged spheres of dark energy, the idea came to her. Azula certainly never thought she'd thank Katara for tricking her into stepping over that water canal on the day of the comet, so she could chain her down. But it was as good a plan as any.

And so Azula found herself dashing back in the direction of the portal, once she crossed over it she waited for Shade to place himself in the dead center.

She backed farther away, trying to provoke him into getting there. "Come on, don't you want to be close enough to see it, when the light leaves my eyes?" Had done it. She'd baited him into place.

The minute Shade set his foot over the portal, she split the ground below him. The shrieking rang out again as Shade found himself caught with in his own portal, arms pinned to one another by the tar. Once his head was beneath the surface, Azula solidified it again and let the flames rise.

A roaring sensation filled her head. Azula felt as if someone threw a large rock at her head, she felt herself arch backwards as a searing pain worked its way up her body. And then came a feeling of invincibility. It was like nothing could stop her.

She had achieved absolute control.

So she called to them, each and every one of the spirits, through that familiar, blissful, connected state that Ursa had shown her on her first day in the Spirit World.

Slowly…head high…she walked up to the spirit gate…

Chan had just finished ridding Shou of the spirit possessing her—the thing had put up quite a fight too, Ty-Lee had to chi-block her thrice—when the spirits all began to flow towards a the physical gate.

They were like dark flocks of birds. All flowing through the sky, rolling through the clouds.

It was over. They'd won.

Aang waited a few seconds after the last spirit made its return before heaving the gate shut.

There was a unison thud as two gates slammed shut…but not before two figures managed to ease their way through the crack…

Azula stood before them; her face and clothing bloodied, hair disheveled, armor torn. She was breathing rather heavily, her body shaking lightly. But she had a fierce, proud gleam in her eyes. And a lopsided smirk to match it.

"I did it Xin." She laughed. She didn't know if he could hear her. "I beat him." She swayed and fell to the floor.

"Yeah, you did good." Xin's voice was soft, soothing. He knelt beside her, placing one hand on her shoulder, the other brushing aside a bang that clung to her dirty sticky forehead. "You did good."

Her vision faded. Her mind went numb.

Azula stood before her full-length mirror. She'd changed so much—in both appearance and personality.

A year had slid by since the incident with Shade. Since she and the Avatar…and the rest of the team of course, had officially bought back some much needed balance to the world.

She quickly ran her fingers through her hair. She had decided to leave it cut to the length it was on the day she'd defeated Shade. It was easier to work with and served as a reminder to her, that she'd grown.

She called to one of her servants to get a grasp on what time it was. A little past the start of sunset—she still had some time to get dressed and put on some make up—nah, she'd let her servants put her makeup on for her.

She traced her pointer over the thin scar above her navel. She'd wear it proud tonight, a symbol of courage and honor.

Tonight was her night. The first festival of many to come, honoring the works of the Avatar and of the Spirit Beacon. And of course honoring those who'd assisted on that night.

The day Azula had come home from that battle, weak and tired—worn and spent, was the night of a new beginning.

She had her palace back and that cozy bed she'd missed so much. Everything was back to normal…only better. Much better.

Things were still awkward between her and Zuko…and Mai for the first few months. But the three—with Ty-Lee's stellar people skills—had gotten used to each other again. And used to the idea of friendship and a healthy brother-sister relationship.

The Avatar and his friends would drop by on occasions, usually on holidays, to visit and spend some time.

In those short months away, the Avatar had done some changing himself. Azula didn't think it was possible to grow facial hair out at such a rapid rate. She'd work on convincing him to shave right away. With Katara's help he promised to shave that same night…Chan and Sokka went unswayed—the two seemed to admire their 'manly' beards and vowed to start up some sort of club focusing on facial hair. Apparently Haru'd be their president.

In those short months, Zuko escorted Azula back to the asylum once more…

She and Shou had convinced Lu-Ming to let them tear up the floorboards in Azula's old room. It was there that she found Xin's remains.

He'd given her one request before fading into the light once and for all. And that was, to give him a proper, dignified burial. Azula wouldn't let his final request go unfinished.

Nor would she let his memory die either. At some point she'd snuck off; while Shou distracted Lu-Ming (the guy was much more pleasurable to talk to without Shade inside him) Azula rummaged through the old asylum files.

She'd keep Xin's picture in a small locket she'd wear around her neck.

Whether she wanted to admit it or not—and with her trademark pride and sass still perfectly intact, she did not—Azula owed her life to Xin and his help.

She could only imagine what Xin would have to say about that. It would have been a battle of wits for sure.

Azula smiled to herself as she applied the last bit of makeup to her lips—recalling at that moment that she was supposed to let her servants do this for her.

She shrugged to herself and headed to join little Zu-Zu and the others on the balcony.

The crowd below seemed to go wild at her arrival.

Tonight would be the true…

The official start of a new beginning.


End file.
